???theres a hole in the cucumber
- Thread starter bigyb
- Start date
plomanto
Member
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
We are very lucky to have your here Ophiura. You have helped hundreds of us, if not thousands, with Starfish and Sea Cucumber Help.
Thank you!
I have been reading threads here for a long time and I have to agree with Bang Guy.
I have learned a great deal from all the MOD's on this forum
By the way I know of three tiger tails in different tanks in this area that have "split"
We are very lucky to have your here Ophiura. You have helped hundreds of us, if not thousands, with Starfish and Sea Cucumber Help.
Thank you!
I have been reading threads here for a long time and I have to agree with Bang Guy.
I have learned a great deal from all the MOD's on this forum
By the way I know of three tiger tails in different tanks in this area that have "split"
lion_crazz
Active Member
Birdmom, the harassement will not be tolerated.
Ophiura is extremely helpful to a countless number of people here. She is intelligent beyond explanation, and we are truly lucky to have her expertise here.
I suggest that you change your attitude or change the forum that you frequent.
Ophiura is extremely helpful to a countless number of people here. She is intelligent beyond explanation, and we are truly lucky to have her expertise here.
I suggest that you change your attitude or change the forum that you frequent.
ophiura
Active Member
Ah! So true, I must say...no harassment of course as she is most correct!
Ophiura in terms of number of species is not "huge" but it is a messy group full of extremely similar species that are primarily deep water; the family to which it belongs, the Ophiuridae, is quite large.
As a single genus, it is no where near as large as the genus Ophiomusium, which should include both Ophiolipus and Ophiosphalma, with over 80 nominal species, and which I specifically studied, along with the 16 other genera that are included in that "family" (8 don't belong there). They are also extremely similar and deep water.
So thanks for correcting me, it is "huge," as in a huge undertaking to work on, IMO, along with the Ophiactids, Amphiurids, and the genus Ophiomusium. I am pleased to have provided this clarification to a problem that seems to vex you greatly. Had I thought to do this before I am sure to have saved you some concern.
I had no idea you were so interested in brittlestar taxonomy! Well indeed, this would be an unusual thing to build a friendship on. There are so few of us! :jumping:
As for the "what species split" sea cucumber question, well I do not have time to research a detailed listing, but I gave you at least a few in the abstract above (Holothuria (Halodeima) atra, H. (H.) edulis and Stichopus chloronotus). Sadly, I do not know specific taxonomy off the top of my head for every group of echinoderms (there are well over 2000 species of brittlestars alone)....and frankly there really are few if any echinoderm people in the world who can do such a thing.
Specialization is the norm, though we are still all "echinoderm biologists."
I am sure that you can use those as a basis for further research, in order to become far more of an expert than I am. I would not mind that at all.
This calls for sorting through the scientific literature (head on over to the university library to start). I agree that google would not be the best means to research this question in detail...but in general, it is invaluable, IMO, and I do not belittle people for using it.
Searches like "Holothuroid asexual reproduction" or "holothuroid fission" would be good searches to start with.
This stuff is not "nonsense" by the way, it is called "taxonomy" and few understand it (or care, sniff). But I looovvveeee it! And you keep asking for details! Nothing could make me happier!! :cheer:
Ophiura in terms of number of species is not "huge" but it is a messy group full of extremely similar species that are primarily deep water; the family to which it belongs, the Ophiuridae, is quite large.
As a single genus, it is no where near as large as the genus Ophiomusium, which should include both Ophiolipus and Ophiosphalma, with over 80 nominal species, and which I specifically studied, along with the 16 other genera that are included in that "family" (8 don't belong there). They are also extremely similar and deep water.
So thanks for correcting me, it is "huge," as in a huge undertaking to work on, IMO, along with the Ophiactids, Amphiurids, and the genus Ophiomusium. I am pleased to have provided this clarification to a problem that seems to vex you greatly. Had I thought to do this before I am sure to have saved you some concern.
I had no idea you were so interested in brittlestar taxonomy! Well indeed, this would be an unusual thing to build a friendship on. There are so few of us! :jumping:
As for the "what species split" sea cucumber question, well I do not have time to research a detailed listing, but I gave you at least a few in the abstract above (Holothuria (Halodeima) atra, H. (H.) edulis and Stichopus chloronotus). Sadly, I do not know specific taxonomy off the top of my head for every group of echinoderms (there are well over 2000 species of brittlestars alone)....and frankly there really are few if any echinoderm people in the world who can do such a thing.
Specialization is the norm, though we are still all "echinoderm biologists."
I am sure that you can use those as a basis for further research, in order to become far more of an expert than I am. I would not mind that at all.
This stuff is not "nonsense" by the way, it is called "taxonomy" and few understand it (or care, sniff). But I looovvveeee it! And you keep asking for details! Nothing could make me happier!! :cheer:
reefkprz
Active Member
Just as a side note, a perspective on the sub-lying insults and derisive nature of Birdmoms post I, must ask her this. Just because I dont have a degree in herpetology means that I could not impart usefull and accurate information about the breeding of reptiles even though I sucessfully breed several types? So a piece of paper makes you smarter, huh? I for one find the fact that your trying (quite unsuccesfully I might add) to make Oph look dumb, quite offensive and really, really, really, pointless. 'Nuff said.
jbair
Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
Wow, very nice.
The name is NOT mispelled. Ophiura is a GENUS of ophiuroids (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) in the family Ophiuridae (subfamily Ophiurinae) the sister family of the Ophiolepididae (formerly subfamily Ophiolepidinae in the Ophiuridae) which I worked on for my dissertation. Of course I strongly disagree with raising of the Ophiolepidinae to a family rank, but that is not a discussion for now.
Even a canned Google search would have told you that.
I started working on brittlestars in 1992 as an undergraduate in Washington DC, and did my undergraduate and graduate research at the US National Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian Institution, until 2001. I was funded during this period by an NSF doctoral dissertation improvement grant entitled "A cladistic analysis of deep-sea ophiuroid
genera Ophiomusium Lyman and Ophiophalma Clark and their relations within the Ophiolepididae (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea)."
I did not complete my dissertation because I got married, and learned there are more important things than a piece of paper with "PhD" on it.
My advisors included Dr. David Pawson, a specialist in sea cucumbers at the USNM; Dr. Diana Lipscomb, a ciliate specialist at the George Washington University and several others.
I spent quite a bit of time teaching during grad school, including a tropical marine biology class in the Bahamas. I taught fish morphology, ecology and behavior.
After leaving and moving to Houston with my husband, I took a quick job in an LFS where I worked for 15 months. I learned a tremendous amount there, the ins and outs, the worst case scenarios.
I then took a job as an aquarist at the Downtown Aquarium in Houston Texas, where I cared for a wide array of tanks (fresh, cold salt, tropical, predator, etc, etc ,etc). I worked there also for about 15 months before getting a job out of the industry, but one which pays bills.
BTW, I do not consider myself to be "above" hourly, minimum wage jobs because of my education. That is due to my work ethic and how I was raised, not what is learned at university.
Anyone who works on echinoderms know that they are highly susceptible to problems with water quality. It has been proposed that many have issues adapting to synthetic salt mixes, quite possibly one of the reasons that sea urchin larvae are often used as test animals in such experiments.
Because I am no longer active in the research field, I spend time HELPING other hobbyists and sharing my knowledge on this board, a few others now and then, and through my "The Ophiuroidea" website (woefully not up to date though). Unfortunately, this often means unpleasant questions, and now and then dealing with unpleasant people. But overall I value those participating on this board, and feel that in general I can help in some small way.
Thank you for your concern in the overall quality of the information provided on this board. I would like to ask you what your qualifications are to provide any information...but you know what? I don't care. I don't care if someone only searches google and share info. What, exactly, is WRONG with that?
WOW Ophiura was in Grad school working on her "phD". Mmmmm.....I say that makes her an expert on this subject, way to Go Ophiura!
It is sad, but too many people get on here and try to belittle others or try to make someone look like a fool. This time I think it back fired. Ophiura your doing an outstanding job keep it up. :cheer: :cheer:
Wow, very nice.
The name is NOT mispelled. Ophiura is a GENUS of ophiuroids (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) in the family Ophiuridae (subfamily Ophiurinae) the sister family of the Ophiolepididae (formerly subfamily Ophiolepidinae in the Ophiuridae) which I worked on for my dissertation. Of course I strongly disagree with raising of the Ophiolepidinae to a family rank, but that is not a discussion for now.
Even a canned Google search would have told you that.
I started working on brittlestars in 1992 as an undergraduate in Washington DC, and did my undergraduate and graduate research at the US National Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian Institution, until 2001. I was funded during this period by an NSF doctoral dissertation improvement grant entitled "A cladistic analysis of deep-sea ophiuroid
genera Ophiomusium Lyman and Ophiophalma Clark and their relations within the Ophiolepididae (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea)."
I did not complete my dissertation because I got married, and learned there are more important things than a piece of paper with "PhD" on it.
My advisors included Dr. David Pawson, a specialist in sea cucumbers at the USNM; Dr. Diana Lipscomb, a ciliate specialist at the George Washington University and several others.
I spent quite a bit of time teaching during grad school, including a tropical marine biology class in the Bahamas. I taught fish morphology, ecology and behavior.
After leaving and moving to Houston with my husband, I took a quick job in an LFS where I worked for 15 months. I learned a tremendous amount there, the ins and outs, the worst case scenarios.
I then took a job as an aquarist at the Downtown Aquarium in Houston Texas, where I cared for a wide array of tanks (fresh, cold salt, tropical, predator, etc, etc ,etc). I worked there also for about 15 months before getting a job out of the industry, but one which pays bills.
BTW, I do not consider myself to be "above" hourly, minimum wage jobs because of my education. That is due to my work ethic and how I was raised, not what is learned at university.
Anyone who works on echinoderms know that they are highly susceptible to problems with water quality. It has been proposed that many have issues adapting to synthetic salt mixes, quite possibly one of the reasons that sea urchin larvae are often used as test animals in such experiments.
Because I am no longer active in the research field, I spend time HELPING other hobbyists and sharing my knowledge on this board, a few others now and then, and through my "The Ophiuroidea" website (woefully not up to date though). Unfortunately, this often means unpleasant questions, and now and then dealing with unpleasant people. But overall I value those participating on this board, and feel that in general I can help in some small way.
Thank you for your concern in the overall quality of the information provided on this board. I would like to ask you what your qualifications are to provide any information...but you know what? I don't care. I don't care if someone only searches google and share info. What, exactly, is WRONG with that?
WOW Ophiura was in Grad school working on her "phD". Mmmmm.....I say that makes her an expert on this subject, way to Go Ophiura!
hatessushi
Active Member
IMO Ophuira and all of the mods should be applauded for all of the help they have given so many people. I have also benefited greatly from their posts and answers to my many many questions.
:cheer: :cheer:
thanks guys and gals!!
thanks guys and gals!!
ophiura
Active Member
I am going to go ahead and close this thread, because, really, there is no point to it any longer.
Birdmom- All I can say is that you are free to not take any advice I post. Many do not. Many disagree, but they do so productively and without taking personal shots. I have no issue with discussion, or even debate.
However, I will continue to post advice, and ask about water parameters.
Birdmom- All I can say is that you are free to not take any advice I post. Many do not. Many disagree, but they do so productively and without taking personal shots. I have no issue with discussion, or even debate.
However, I will continue to post advice, and ask about water parameters.