[syn. Cypraea semiplota]Half-swimmer cowryCypraeidaeEndemic to the Hawaiian IslandsRareFound in waters off Haleiwa, Oahu in mid-1970's.The Hawaiian name in general for cowries is leho. Early Hawaiians used larger leho to lure hee (octopus) to capture. Smaller leho were used in lei work.Please note: I do not collect or trade sea shells any longer. For me, the value of the animal is far greater than the shell it possess.
Today I specifically set out to pay attention to things I often pass over (foolishly) in my quest for slugs. This chiton is one I learned from Ron Wolf's photos. Previously, I would have just called it a Lined Chiton and moved on, but the zigzag stripes on the "head" valve distinguish this one. Anything named after the Norse god of deception deserves recognition.
Membranipora membranacea is a very widely distributed species of marine bryozoan known from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans usually in temperate zone environments. It may be known colloquially as the sea-mat or lacy crust bryozoan and is often abundantly found encrusting seaweeds, particularly kelps.Wikipedia