One of my (J.P.) jobs on this cruise is to sieve the seabed mud and sand we collect to examine the organisms living within it. The process is pretty tedious and usually involves getting a bit muddy and wet, but it is also pretty fun, partly because I like getting muddy, but also because I never know what animals I’ll find. Just like soils on land, there can be a lot of organisms which make sediments their home. See the pictures above. Not surprisingly, worms (segmented ones called polycheates) are quite common. One of the interesting critters I came across first was a snail with a very ornate shell. Apparently, this snail is pretty well known as it appears on the New Zealand passport. Another interesting critter I found was a shrimp; he/she wasn’t too happy to see me. My favorite seafloor dwellor is the brittle star. These are also quite common and are fun to watch move!
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