Excitement in the classroom: ID Please

[tangboy]

For the past week or so, my students and I have noticed a weird weblike structure that I thought contained egg sacs.

Here is a picture of the overall web structure with little fans of critters on each fan.

Taken with my LG2 Phone Camera

Here is a picture under a microscope of each little knob

Taken with my LG2 Phone Camera through eye of microscope.

Looks very Hydra-like.

 

[tangboy]

After doing some research, I believe it may be Urchin larvae. Confirmation anyone?

Only problem with that is the description of Urchin larvae is that they are free floating, these are clustered on feathers on the branches of the colony in the first picture.

 

[KorD]

I have no idea what it is, but it is nifty.

 

[Squishie89]

I believe they might be hydroids, but not sure.

 

[NanaReefer]

Very interesting and great pictures!!