On this cold winter day, I thought I was shooting some species of jellyfish. The little creature was swimming around in shallow water, in beautiful contrast to the rays from the low winter sun.
For me, the usual order of interest starts with seeing something photogenic, then take pictures of, and finally find out what I have seen.
Tima bairdii is a hydrozoa, a class of very small, predatory animals related to jellyfish and corals. Some solitary, some colonial, most living in saltwater. Further into taxonomy and systematics, Tima bairdii belongs to the order Leptothecata, or thecate hydroids.
A new discovery for me, and definitely on the list of subjects to read up on when time permits. And when the time comes, 116 sharp images in my database will be useful. Here’s a few of them:
