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Camelot · 06-02-2011, 05:55

Dear Scuba Sailors,

Almost everywhere in the Med. you will find these cranium-like calcium constructions at 1 to 10 metres of water. They are obviously from an animal that has ended its life but which? Could it be form an octopus? I have also seen these craniums in other parts of the world, so this has to be a quite common animal. Do you have any ideas?

Fair winds,
Gunnar

**GordMay** · 06-02-2011, 07:21

Let me google that for you

**boatman61** · 06-02-2011, 07:25

Thats a clever little trick Gord.....

These ether gadgets never cease to amaze...

Pau Hana Daz · 06-02-2011, 07:26

I'd like to help, but your picture isn't posting - All I see is a red "X".

Camelot · 06-02-2011, 07:41

Thanks but strange. The pucture is posting fine through my browser ...

**atoll** · 06-02-2011, 08:41

cant see the picture,but from what you describe,they sound like "sand dollars",which is a starfish,alive they are dark brown with spider like long tentacles.......

**boatman61** · 06-02-2011, 08:44

I cant see your pic either.... is it anything like these...

Camelot · 06-02-2011, 08:59

They could have been corrals like the examples you have pictured. But I am afraid that is not the answer. The largest I have found is approximately like a large orange and there are a lot of smaller. They all have the same shape. They are hollow and the pattern on the top is made of five completely symmetric beams from the centre. They also have two holes – one in each ends. You can see the beams and the hole at both the animals from the picture.
Gunnar

**boatman61** · 06-02-2011, 09:02

Ahah... thats Sea Urchin skeletons mate....

**boatman61** · 06-02-2011, 09:05

.....

**atoll** · 06-02-2011, 09:07

Brittle starfish (Amphipholis sp.) Science Image | 80014636 | Science Image from PSmicrographs

brittle starfish

Camelot · 06-02-2011, 09:17

What an enjoyable hunt! No, it is definitely not a sea urchin. It is not symmetric enough to be a sea urchin. It has clearly one bold end and one slimmer, and to “atoll” – the diameter is 15 cm. – much bigger than any starfish I know.
Gunnar