#sandhopper

Today’s Art Flood--Arthropods

From Top to Bottom:

“Sandhopper Cuteness”--A particularly cute presentation of a sandhopper, which is a common little crustacean on the warm beaches around the Atlantic.

“Emperor Moth”--Just a beaut of a moth!

“Spotted Moon Crab”--My most recent favorite crab species. Ashtoret lunaris is an unusual amphibious crab that comes out onto the beaches to hunt worms, snails and the like (and gladly nom on carrion) at night. I love their tough little hunt-claws and their flat swim/skim leggies. And of course the big spar protrusions on the carapase. And spotty!

“The Potential”-- An ash sphinx caterpillar and some thematic weirdness. A good weirdness! 

“Shimmery Darter”--An ACEO of a beautiful dragonfly. Metallic ink and all.

The colorful head of a deep sea amphipod.

The weird and beautiful life hiding in Antarctica's frigid depths

(Photo: British Antarctic Survey)

An amphipod known as a sandhopper

An unidentified creature recovered from exposed deep sea during a BAS expedition in Antarctica.

A polychaete worm

Atlantic Sandhoppers... (Americorchestia longicornis) Prince Edward Island National Park, North Rustico, PEI, Canada.

Sandhopper, Taletridae family 3 of 30 in tidepool series, 7.May.2014

I like to catch these little guys at the beaches when I go. I couldn't find a good reference photo of a California species for this drawing, so the reference is the European Talitrus saltator. Oh well.

One of our local crustaceans. Not something I get many complaints about, because the only way they'll survive in a house is if there's a major moisture problem. Most amphipods can't survive out of water, but the Talitrid sandhoppers on the beach and landhoppers even further inland can be fully terrestrial.