Black Cormorant

Octocoral

This clump of polyps, about 2 inches across, was attached to rock at Underwater Island, Anacapa. The eightfold arms identify the polyps as octocoral, apparently clavularrid.

Opalescent Nudibranch

Hermissenda nudibranch with cup coral.

Opalescent Nudibranch with Tunicates

Opalescent nudibranch with tiny tunicates, at Channels on the south side of Anacapa. The tunicates are about the size of the head of a pin. This is a small individual of this nudibranch species.

Small Giant Spined Star

Giants come in different sizes. This giant spined star is still an infant. Even the adult giant spined stars seems smaller than the sunflower stars, though; but maybe I've never seen a fully adult giant spined star.

Giant Spined Star

Gaint spined star crawls up a wall at San Miguel, gaining height on an anemone and a bat star below. The different lengths of the arms of the giant spined star makes me wonder whether this star grew from one arm of another.

Bat Star

Lobster

Lobsters use their vision as well as their sensitive antennas to examine their environments.