My nudibranch (a.k.a. sea slug) pictures (here I only posted a couple of the MANY pictures I have). My project in this class involved me collecting a ton of different kinds (12), and then taking their pictures. Afterwards I took little DNA samples of them to sequence a few of their genes. I'd like to build a phylogenetic tree, and it looks like most of mine have not had any molecular work done on them. This upcoming week will involve trying to stain and look at a protein in their eggs and larva. Tim came up and spent a weekend, and his first task was to help me take pictures.
The first one is of a sea lemon (Archidoris monterey-ensis) trying to get away. The second picture was taken at night. We went "night lighting" where you take a big light bulb/lamp and put in into the water and see what comes up to look at the light. It's pretty cool, and you get to see a ton of stuff.
I just so happen to take the lamp down to the dock near a bunch of kelp and this little guy was sitting on a big blade of kelp. It took a while to try and get him though. . .involving multiple nets, moving kelp around, and the lamp. Tricky, but I got him (Janolus fucus). Unfortunately, he died the next day, but at least he did no disintegrate before I took a DNA sample and dropped him into some formalin for preservation!
Just so you guys realize that marine biology isn't just fun and games, here's a picture of me digging for hemi-chordates (worms), 
and my class on the research vessel sorting through a haul! 
Finally, here's one of my class out in the field.
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