photo copyright 2011 by Heather Stoker
The item is about 1.5 inches (about 3.8 cm) from left to right point. There appears to be a specific type of symmetry characteristic of a particular group of critters- Hmmm? Hmmm? Maybe you need about 5 minutes to think about it (hint hint). If you can tell me what animal it belonged to AND what function it served I will send you an "I (heart) Barnacle Penises" giant bookmark. It looks like this:
I made it so it's not the best craftsmanship but I would be willing to bet none of your friends have one! Here's something else I made:
Yes, it's true. In my infinite quest for new ways to procrastinate I have created this tiny diorama depicting three microscopic crustaceans- an amphipod, an isopod and an ostracod- enjoying a romp in their benthic habitat (I know its not to scale- that's my artistic license okay?).
Good luck with the guessing!
We think it's an Echinoderm in the class Asteroidea - a sea star "belly" if you will...this part of it's body functions as an anus and a stomach (if we remember correctly from our college days)
ReplyDeleteWe're your newest followers and really enjoying your site - very interactive, informative and fun. (fingers crossed for the awesome bookmark!)
-Carrie and Ben
Hi Ben and Carrie- It is an echinoderm part but from an animal in a different class. And not an anus- think the other (opposite) "end" of the animal. Keep guessing- I want you to have the bookmark because you said it was awesome!
ReplyDeleteOOO OOO I think it's an Aristotle's Lantern!! The mouth parts of a sea urchin named by Aristotle because it looked like a horn lantern with the panes removed.
ReplyDelete--jd
Yes it is an Aristotles' Lantern but not from your regular sea urchin- you're close! I'll give you a hint- it's from one of the irregular urchins and in its non-animal form it's something really yummy especially with gravy!
ReplyDeleteHeart urchin or sand dollar mouth?
ReplyDeleteClose...right part, but not quite there on the animal (though, in all fairness, you may have another common name in Australia than we do here). Think more inflated than a sand dollar and it's the only irregular urchin that has an aristotle's lantern.
ReplyDeleteA sea biscuit's 5 toothed chewing organ! "We love tiny crustaceans!" too :)
ReplyDeleteYes! You win! Send your mailing address to me directly through my e-mail (hstoker@ec.rr.com) and I will send your barnacle penis bookmark!
ReplyDelete