Spring has Sprung

I'm happy to report that Spring has sprung in our Marine Exhibit (though unhappy in my personal life due to hay fever)!

Brenda wrote the following after working in the exhibit this past Saturday:

"Hi all! spring is here in the marine exhibit and this weekend (plus or minus a day or two) has been filled with exciting animal activity. In case you’re interested, here are some of the highlights:

-The hooded nudibranchs have been spending a lot of quality time together, resulting in at least three egg cases in the eel grass tank. Perhaps more to come soon!
-The green urchins have been spawning quite a bit. When Liza or I would start to siphon in the tank, they would start to go!
-A couple mottled sea stars were also spotted spawning.
-The shrimps have been molting, for better or worse…
-Sticklebacks made a little nest with some eggs in the eel grass tank.
-The painted greenling laid eggs in the piling tank on a cluster of tube worms. Unfortunately, for the greenling and its offspring, the effort was in vain. Very soon after, the opportunistic Pollock (I’m assuming it was them) had a tasty snack.

That’s it for now!
-brenda-

Hope to see many of you this Wednesday, 6pm, for the marine bio study group meeting all about plankton! We will be in the marine exhibit classroom."

Hooded Nudibranchs Mating

Painted Greenling

Photos Courtesy of Brenda Danner

Thank you for keeping us updated Brenda!