Chris Mah
@echinoblog.bsky.social
The "starfish guy"(but also a little about a lot of marine invertebrates, #echinoday #echinoderms. Kaiju, comics enthusiast. Marine scientist, taxonomist, deep-sea researcher. Statements/posts made here are my own & DO NOT REPRESENT HOST organizations
Pinned
Chris Mah
@echinoblog.bsky.social
· Nov 17
New Antarctic Starfish Are Doting Parents and Vicious Predators (Published 2023)
A close examination of a collection of starfish in the Smithsonian revealed even more starfish inside those starfish.
www.nytimes.com
A recent account of my research in the NYT! by @megadarren.bsky.social ! #echinoday www.nytimes.com/2023/08/04/s...
Reposted by Chris Mah
Inside the bell is its mouth (hanging down in the middle) and above it, the stomach, which with this individual has something in it! This one’s from an autumn plankton sample. 2/2 #marineplankton
January 20, 2026 at 9:59 AM
Inside the bell is its mouth (hanging down in the middle) and above it, the stomach, which with this individual has something in it! This one’s from an autumn plankton sample. 2/2 #marineplankton
Reposted by Chris Mah
Another little hydroid medusa with a full tummy! Hydrozoa are part of the phylum Cnidaria, along with jellyfish, sea anemones and corals. Some hydroids have this medusa stage as part of the their reproductive life cycle. 1/2
#marineplankton 🦑
#marineplankton 🦑
January 20, 2026 at 9:59 AM
Another little hydroid medusa with a full tummy! Hydrozoa are part of the phylum Cnidaria, along with jellyfish, sea anemones and corals. Some hydroids have this medusa stage as part of the their reproductive life cycle. 1/2
#marineplankton 🦑
#marineplankton 🦑
Reposted by Chris Mah
January 20, 2026 at 9:23 AM
Ha ha. This has been my life for the last few weeks! #coralseafrontiers at Museum Victoria (they have a Star Wars Lego exhibit!) thanks @oceancensus.bsky.social @drtimohara.bsky.social
January 20, 2026 at 9:20 AM
Ha ha. This has been my life for the last few weeks! #coralseafrontiers at Museum Victoria (they have a Star Wars Lego exhibit!) thanks @oceancensus.bsky.social @drtimohara.bsky.social
ooo! Another lovely Amphiophiura by @drtimohara.bsky.social Amphiophiura paraconcava! With an even more gorgeous arm curl and disk plates that look engraved! #echinoday A species from Australian waters..and probably beyond
January 20, 2026 at 9:07 AM
ooo! Another lovely Amphiophiura by @drtimohara.bsky.social Amphiophiura paraconcava! With an even more gorgeous arm curl and disk plates that look engraved! #echinoday A species from Australian waters..and probably beyond
A handsome brittle star called Amphiophiura bullata! id'd by @drtimohara.bsky.social found in the deeps throughout the Indo-Pacific. They got those gorgeous plates and that cute arm curl! #echinoday
January 20, 2026 at 9:05 AM
A handsome brittle star called Amphiophiura bullata! id'd by @drtimohara.bsky.social found in the deeps throughout the Indo-Pacific. They got those gorgeous plates and that cute arm curl! #echinoday
A spiny friend called Calliaster spinosus! Most likely not seen since Hubert Lyman Clark described it in 1916! #coralseafrontiers thanks to @oceancensus.bsky.social @drtimohara.bsky.social
January 20, 2026 at 8:57 AM
A spiny friend called Calliaster spinosus! Most likely not seen since Hubert Lyman Clark described it in 1916! #coralseafrontiers thanks to @oceancensus.bsky.social @drtimohara.bsky.social
Specimen based research can have exciting secrets! Here, we have a possibly NEW sea star from 1500m but ALSO with healthy sediment in its gut! What were possible food items? snails! Forams? SECRETS from the DEEP! #coralseafrontiers @oceancensus.bsky.social @drtimohara.bsky.social #echinoday
January 20, 2026 at 8:39 AM
Specimen based research can have exciting secrets! Here, we have a possibly NEW sea star from 1500m but ALSO with healthy sediment in its gut! What were possible food items? snails! Forams? SECRETS from the DEEP! #coralseafrontiers @oceancensus.bsky.social @drtimohara.bsky.social #echinoday
A familiar friend...but in TASMANIA! Hippasteria phrygiana! A near cosmopolitan species found in Atlantic, Pacific and Indian waters-generally predators on cnidarians-esp. octocorals-showing off prominent pedicellariae and big ass spines! thanks @drtimohara.bsky.social @oceancensus.bsky.social
January 20, 2026 at 8:34 AM
A familiar friend...but in TASMANIA! Hippasteria phrygiana! A near cosmopolitan species found in Atlantic, Pacific and Indian waters-generally predators on cnidarians-esp. octocorals-showing off prominent pedicellariae and big ass spines! thanks @drtimohara.bsky.social @oceancensus.bsky.social
Reposted by Chris Mah
Morning all. Warm again but without the wind - glorious! Enjoy the Day 🌞
January 19, 2026 at 11:57 PM
Morning all. Warm again but without the wind - glorious! Enjoy the Day 🌞
Reposted by Chris Mah
Mount Rainier National Park
#photography #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #waterfall #washington #mountrainiernationalpark
#photography #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #waterfall #washington #mountrainiernationalpark
January 19, 2026 at 7:44 PM
Mount Rainier National Park
#photography #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #waterfall #washington #mountrainiernationalpark
#photography #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #waterfall #washington #mountrainiernationalpark
Reposted by Chris Mah
Reposted by Chris Mah
While walking along the rocky shore, I found the world’s most poisonous crab.
It’s safe as long as you don’t eat it, so I carefully admired its stunning metallic beauty 🦀✨️
It’s safe as long as you don’t eat it, so I carefully admired its stunning metallic beauty 🦀✨️
January 19, 2026 at 12:05 PM
While walking along the rocky shore, I found the world’s most poisonous crab.
It’s safe as long as you don’t eat it, so I carefully admired its stunning metallic beauty 🦀✨️
It’s safe as long as you don’t eat it, so I carefully admired its stunning metallic beauty 🦀✨️
Reposted by Chris Mah
Nothing to see here... 👀
2024 National Wildlife Photo Contest Honorable Mentions 📲: https://ow.ly/pcsz50XUab2
📸 Yuan Minghui
📝 Hunstman spider on bark lichens in Xishuangbanna, China
2024 National Wildlife Photo Contest Honorable Mentions 📲: https://ow.ly/pcsz50XUab2
📸 Yuan Minghui
📝 Hunstman spider on bark lichens in Xishuangbanna, China
January 19, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Nothing to see here... 👀
2024 National Wildlife Photo Contest Honorable Mentions 📲: https://ow.ly/pcsz50XUab2
📸 Yuan Minghui
📝 Hunstman spider on bark lichens in Xishuangbanna, China
2024 National Wildlife Photo Contest Honorable Mentions 📲: https://ow.ly/pcsz50XUab2
📸 Yuan Minghui
📝 Hunstman spider on bark lichens in Xishuangbanna, China
Reposted by Chris Mah
Reposted by Chris Mah
The Middle Fork of Bill Williams Creek at Tucker Trail #tuckertrail #billwilliamscreek #mttamalpais #mttam #mttamwatershed #mmwd #marinwater #landscapephotography
January 19, 2026 at 6:05 PM
The Middle Fork of Bill Williams Creek at Tucker Trail #tuckertrail #billwilliamscreek #mttamalpais #mttam #mttamwatershed #mmwd #marinwater #landscapephotography
Reposted by Chris Mah
Fragile pink sea urchins roam the seafloor in large groups, grazing on dead kelp and organic material. With each nibble, they make nutrients and carbon available for other organisms on the seafloor and in the water column above. Dive in: youtu.be/9aN3m4uO91c
youtu.be
January 14, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Fragile pink sea urchins roam the seafloor in large groups, grazing on dead kelp and organic material. With each nibble, they make nutrients and carbon available for other organisms on the seafloor and in the water column above. Dive in: youtu.be/9aN3m4uO91c
Reposted by Chris Mah
January 19, 2026 at 11:52 AM
Reposted by Chris Mah
#MolluscMonday: a lichen-encrusted example of the large Late Jurassic ammonite Titanites at Portland, Dorset.
January 12, 2026 at 6:32 AM
#MolluscMonday: a lichen-encrusted example of the large Late Jurassic ammonite Titanites at Portland, Dorset.
Reposted by Chris Mah
#MolluscMonday Two large heteromorph ammonites photographed over 20 years ago at a small museum in Bargemon, southern France. Unfortunately, details of identity, age and locality were not recorded.
January 12, 2026 at 7:54 AM
#MolluscMonday Two large heteromorph ammonites photographed over 20 years ago at a small museum in Bargemon, southern France. Unfortunately, details of identity, age and locality were not recorded.
Reposted by Chris Mah
Did somebody say…. #MolluscMonday!
I love these mimic octopuses for their mastery of disguise. Apparently, they can change shape, colour, and even behaviour to impersonate a whole range of other marine animals.
If you could impersonate a marine animal, what would you pick?
I love these mimic octopuses for their mastery of disguise. Apparently, they can change shape, colour, and even behaviour to impersonate a whole range of other marine animals.
If you could impersonate a marine animal, what would you pick?
January 19, 2026 at 11:30 AM
Did somebody say…. #MolluscMonday!
I love these mimic octopuses for their mastery of disguise. Apparently, they can change shape, colour, and even behaviour to impersonate a whole range of other marine animals.
If you could impersonate a marine animal, what would you pick?
I love these mimic octopuses for their mastery of disguise. Apparently, they can change shape, colour, and even behaviour to impersonate a whole range of other marine animals.
If you could impersonate a marine animal, what would you pick?
Reposted by Chris Mah
#molluscmonday !
Some unusual Mauritia arabica. The purple 'amethystina' form is now believed to be due to highly acidic discharges from a factory in Leyte Island in the Philippines. The pink ones are unusual overcast shells from Hainan, China
#mollusk #seashell #sciart #invertebrate
Some unusual Mauritia arabica. The purple 'amethystina' form is now believed to be due to highly acidic discharges from a factory in Leyte Island in the Philippines. The pink ones are unusual overcast shells from Hainan, China
#mollusk #seashell #sciart #invertebrate
January 19, 2026 at 8:12 PM
#molluscmonday !
Some unusual Mauritia arabica. The purple 'amethystina' form is now believed to be due to highly acidic discharges from a factory in Leyte Island in the Philippines. The pink ones are unusual overcast shells from Hainan, China
#mollusk #seashell #sciart #invertebrate
Some unusual Mauritia arabica. The purple 'amethystina' form is now believed to be due to highly acidic discharges from a factory in Leyte Island in the Philippines. The pink ones are unusual overcast shells from Hainan, China
#mollusk #seashell #sciart #invertebrate
Reposted by Chris Mah
Gulf of Mexico: Swimming Squid Serenade
YouTube video by Global Foundation For Ocean Exploration
youtu.be
January 18, 2026 at 7:22 AM
Reposted by Chris Mah
January 19, 2026 at 1:08 PM
Reposted by Chris Mah
A dwarf cuttlefish sampling the brunch menu, Seattle Aquarium 2023
#MarineLife #Cephalopods #Cuttlefish #Hungry #MolluscMonday #StumpySpined #Camouflage
#MarineLife #Cephalopods #Cuttlefish #Hungry #MolluscMonday #StumpySpined #Camouflage
January 19, 2026 at 1:29 PM
A dwarf cuttlefish sampling the brunch menu, Seattle Aquarium 2023
#MarineLife #Cephalopods #Cuttlefish #Hungry #MolluscMonday #StumpySpined #Camouflage
#MarineLife #Cephalopods #Cuttlefish #Hungry #MolluscMonday #StumpySpined #Camouflage