What Is It? by photosynthesis

Photography • Sea/Undersea • posted on Feb 10, 2012

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Description

Found this near a tide pool along the 17 Mile Drive in Carmel. I thought it looked very interesting & beautiful, but don't really have a clue what it is. Any amateur (or professional) marine biologists out there? I'm waiting for someone to develop a photo identification app. Instead of entering the name of something & finding a picture of it, it would enable you to upload a picture & then compare it to it's database of "things" & identify what it is. Maybe you'd need to specify what kind of "thing" it is - animal, plant, man-made object, famous person, etc. to narrow the search down - but it seems like it should be doable with today's computing horsepower. Building the database would be a huge undertaking, of course, but maybe it could be done with user contributions in the same way as Wikipedia (Photopedia?). Anyone have any spare time on their hands? It could be the next killer app...

Comments (22)

rembo11

10:44AM | Fri, 10 February 2012

it's a very very wonderful

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NightGallery

10:58AM | Fri, 10 February 2012

How big is it? It looks like a type of marine isopod. But I don't really know a lot about them or how deep they tend to be in the water. (Link to Wiki about them- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_isopod) Not sure if that is one or not, either way, interested to find out as well. Cool looking whatever it is.

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photosynthesis

11:13AM | Fri, 10 February 2012

NightGallery: This was taken quite a few years ago & I don't really don't remember how big it was, though I'm pretty sure it was under six inches...

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bmac62

12:03PM | Fri, 10 February 2012

Very eye appealing. Like the patterns and colors in the shell sections. But I am stumped by this creature.

alanwilliams

12:41PM | Fri, 10 February 2012

not a creature that i am familiar with, but for all that it makes a magnificent subject for a photograph

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auntietk

12:50PM | Fri, 10 February 2012

The common name for the bunch of these is sea slater, a marine isopod. They're related to the woodlouse. This one is gorgeous, with those amazing stripes! I hope Chip sees this ... he'll love it!

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kbrog

12:53PM | Fri, 10 February 2012

I've seen fossils like of these, I think NightGallery is right about it being a marine Isopod. Very old form of sealife. Excellent capture! :)

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jayfar

2:08PM | Fri, 10 February 2012

Very beautiful and I think Auntiek is right.

West_coaster07

4:59PM | Fri, 10 February 2012

It looks like a "Chiton". Great image.

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photosynthesis

5:45PM | Fri, 10 February 2012

Thanks to all for the educated guesses on what this thing is. Based on a google image search of sea slaters, marine isopods & chitons, I'm inclined to think that West_coaster07 is correct & that this is a chiton.

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blinkings

5:58PM | Fri, 10 February 2012

Yes mate this is a Chiton for sure and NOT a Sea Slater. Sea Slater's are quite different. Great shot.

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npauling

6:19PM | Fri, 10 February 2012

It is a very unusual critter that's for sure. A super capture and I love how the sand has turned out too.

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mps

7:08PM | Fri, 10 February 2012

Lovely whatever it is

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blondeblurr

8:19PM | Fri, 10 February 2012

Chiton served up on a sea-salt-encrusted plate - Master Chefs take notice! ;) (only kidding) ... what an interesting find and super capture, looks like a fine fossil - million of years old! ;) BB

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