[Taxacom] mystery balls

[D. Christopher Rogers]

I am pretty sure that they are large balls of Nostoc, or a similar
blue-green algae, or whatever they are called nowadays.

Cheers,
Christopher

D. Christopher Rogers
Invertebrate Ecologist/Taxonomist
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EcoAnalysts, Inc.
(530) 406-1178
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-----Original Message-----
From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
[mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu]On Behalf Of Sendall, Kelly
RBCM:EX
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2006 8:30 AM
To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Subject: [Taxacom] mystery balls


Dear Taxacomers,

    I have had two different kayakers report seeing these strange
membraneous balls rolling around on the bottom of the ocean at the end
of a local inlet this fall. They were seen in very shallow water, on a
mud bottom not too far from the mouth of 2 creeks. The balls are very
delicate and with a definite tube at one end. Under a compound scope
there is no evidence of cell walls, nothing inside the balls, and no
pattern or design on the surface. Does anyone have any idea what they
might be? Images of them are on our museum's website at
http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/explore/research/mystery.htm.

Kelly Sendall
Senior Collections Manager
Invertebrates, Fish, Reptiles and Amphibians
Royal BC Museum
675 Belleville Street
Victoria, BC CANADA V8W 9W2
250.387.2932 voice
250.356.8197 fax

Love is in the air at the Royal BC Museum, Oct. 5 to Jan. 7, with Fatal
Attraction, an interactive exhibition that reveals the sometimes
sensual, often flashy - occasionally dangerous - courtship rituals of
the animal kingdom.

http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca <http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/>


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