Monday, April 26, 2010

More spawning!

Visitors this week at the marine science center got a treat when multiple species decided it was the right time to spawn. Our mussels, sunflower stars, blood stars and sea urchins all started releasing sperm and eggs. Visitors stared, mesmerized at as the creatures shot out hundreds of eggs into the water. With any luck the eggs will become fertilzed. Most of our invertebrate species go through a planktonic stage of life before settling and metamorphosing into what they will become.

Hugging sun flower stars

Green sea urchins spawning

Sun flower star spawning

Mussel spawning, look at all the orange eggs!

Look at all that!




Yay Plankton!
Valerie

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