Mussandam critters

I was out diving on the weekend while on a business trip in Dubai and stumbled across these 2 critters.

I have no idea what they are, but "No clue" and "questionmark" ar not really satisfying names to give them

Thx for any help renaming these 2 files

Pieter

Seasquirt. Seapen. I am sure that someone can get a bit more detailed.

Alex

I can not be any more specific than Alex.

First is a tunicate (aka seasqurit), a very primitive chordate. Second is a seapen which is a very strange soft coral.

Sea pen's are soft corals ?

I thought they were more like bivalves or something that kinda lived in a shell like an oyster .. but a much weaker shell and completely different but you get my point .. wow .. never knew that .. learn something new everyday !

Giles, you're right too. There are bivalves known as pen shells because they're elongate & sit upright in the sediment. The common pen shell in the Caribbean is Pinna carnea.

For images check out

http://www.conchasbrasil.org.br/english/co...family=PINNIDAE

http://www.designboom.com/eng/education/byssus.html

http://www.eumed.net/malakos/guia/biv_d.html

http://www.bahamaswildlife.fsnet.co.uk/shells.htm

Thx guys, now I can rename the pics properly.