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
Not sure these are the same species-but wow, similar!! . sometimes Hymenaster (#deepsea slime star!) just doesn't look like anything else! This one from the deeps off Australia! #echinoday
January 26, 2026 at 6:00 AM
Not sure these are the same species-but wow, similar!! . sometimes Hymenaster (#deepsea slime star!) just doesn't look like anything else! This one from the deeps off Australia! #echinoday
BASKET STAR! A Gorogonocephalus specimen from Australian waters! A group that DOES get around! Other species found in the Arctic/North Pacific and here in the Southern hemisphere as well! #echinoday
January 26, 2026 at 5:55 AM
BASKET STAR! A Gorogonocephalus specimen from Australian waters! A group that DOES get around! Other species found in the Arctic/North Pacific and here in the Southern hemisphere as well! #echinoday
A lovely Australian deep-sea brittle star called Ophiopyrgus! Such intricate and lovely plates! ID'd by @drtimohara.bsky.social
January 26, 2026 at 5:53 AM
A lovely Australian deep-sea brittle star called Ophiopyrgus! Such intricate and lovely plates! ID'd by @drtimohara.bsky.social
you know what I saw a LOT of this AM in the Queen Victoria Market here in Melbourne? TURKISH DELIGHT! A LOT OF IT!! SO MUCH TURKISH DELIGHT!
January 24, 2026 at 1:00 AM
you know what I saw a LOT of this AM in the Queen Victoria Market here in Melbourne? TURKISH DELIGHT! A LOT OF IT!! SO MUCH TURKISH DELIGHT!
On a more serious note: RASBERRY CREAM LAMINGTONS! spied at Queen Victoria Market today! mmm.... lamingtons!
January 24, 2026 at 12:58 AM
On a more serious note: RASBERRY CREAM LAMINGTONS! spied at Queen Victoria Market today! mmm.... lamingtons!
Another Australian snake star called Astrosierra! THAT is what you call texture! #echinoday
January 23, 2026 at 10:15 AM
Another Australian snake star called Astrosierra! THAT is what you call texture! #echinoday
Three "faces" of a snake star, Conocladus australis showing off its gorgeous disk spines and texture! courtesy of @drtimohara.bsky.social at Museum Victoria! #echinoday
January 23, 2026 at 9:56 AM
Three "faces" of a snake star, Conocladus australis showing off its gorgeous disk spines and texture! courtesy of @drtimohara.bsky.social at Museum Victoria! #echinoday
Could new species of mollusks be found in the guts of hungry mud stars from #coralseafrontiers? (654 m deep) ha ha! we shall see! support by @oceancensus.bsky.social and @drtimohara.bsky.social #echinoday
January 23, 2026 at 9:52 AM
Could new species of mollusks be found in the guts of hungry mud stars from #coralseafrontiers? (654 m deep) ha ha! we shall see! support by @oceancensus.bsky.social and @drtimohara.bsky.social #echinoday
A formidable deep-sea goniasterid sea star called Calliderma emma from New Caledonia to the Indian Ocean! These are dinner plate size-but we know very little about them! Spiny! #echinoday
January 21, 2026 at 9:34 AM
A formidable deep-sea goniasterid sea star called Calliderma emma from New Caledonia to the Indian Ocean! These are dinner plate size-but we know very little about them! Spiny! #echinoday
An unidentified species of brittle star in the genus Ophiura! From the deeps off Australia! Look at all those cool individual plates on the disk! #echinoday Id'd by @drtimohara.bsky.social
January 21, 2026 at 9:30 AM
An unidentified species of brittle star in the genus Ophiura! From the deeps off Australia! Look at all those cool individual plates on the disk! #echinoday Id'd by @drtimohara.bsky.social
The aptly named Ophiotypa simplex! An Australian abyssal brittle star with more of the "engraved plate" look-but only a few! Identified by @drtimohara.bsky.social #echinoday
January 21, 2026 at 9:28 AM
The aptly named Ophiotypa simplex! An Australian abyssal brittle star with more of the "engraved plate" look-but only a few! Identified by @drtimohara.bsky.social #echinoday
A new species of mud star being described from >1000 m collected during the #coralseafrontiers expedition, Note how the tube feet are pointed rather than suckered. This is a common feature of stars that live on muddy/sandy bottoms! via @oceancensus.bsky.social @drtimrideout.bsky.social
January 21, 2026 at 9:05 AM
A new species of mud star being described from >1000 m collected during the #coralseafrontiers expedition, Note how the tube feet are pointed rather than suckered. This is a common feature of stars that live on muddy/sandy bottoms! via @oceancensus.bsky.social @drtimrideout.bsky.social
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
Various specimens of living stalked isocrinid crinoids from Australian waters!
January 19, 2026 at 9:52 AM
Various specimens of living stalked isocrinid crinoids from Australian waters!
Colleague Dr. Kate Naughton shares what *could* be a new species of green isocrinid stalked crinoid from the #CoralSeaFrontier expedition! Part of the @oceancensus.bsky.social workshop hosted by @drtimohara.bsky.social at Museum Victoria!
January 19, 2026 at 9:48 AM
Colleague Dr. Kate Naughton shares what *could* be a new species of green isocrinid stalked crinoid from the #CoralSeaFrontier expedition! Part of the @oceancensus.bsky.social workshop hosted by @drtimohara.bsky.social at Museum Victoria!
URCHINS! not sure exactly which species-12 AUD per half-test!
January 17, 2026 at 4:34 AM
URCHINS! not sure exactly which species-12 AUD per half-test!
In the "show me you are in Australia without saying you are in Australia" category!
January 17, 2026 at 4:33 AM
In the "show me you are in Australia without saying you are in Australia" category!
Cleared skeleton of a so-called Cactus Urchin1 Dermechinus horridus! with its bizarre high-aspect test! Possibly an adaptation to filter feeding! #echinoday
January 16, 2026 at 9:38 AM
Cleared skeleton of a so-called Cactus Urchin1 Dermechinus horridus! with its bizarre high-aspect test! Possibly an adaptation to filter feeding! #echinoday
the Museum Victoria "Natural Wonders" exhibit has a quite lovely onychophoran/ velvet worm figure on display!
January 16, 2026 at 9:33 AM
the Museum Victoria "Natural Wonders" exhibit has a quite lovely onychophoran/ velvet worm figure on display!