Summary
The easiest way to compare the two samples we examined is by creating a list. Do you still remember where we came from?
Cidaris cidaris vs. Stylocidaris affinis
Can we distinguish the two species based on the two pictures on each level of the analysis?
C. cidaris
No...
S. affinis
No...
No...
No...
Yes!
Yes!
No...
No...
No...
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
This list is pretty satisfactory, and I think we can be proud on the distinguishing features we have found so far.
Now, let's continue, we need a larger sample size. Only like that we can determine if the features we found are due to plastic morphology, age, gender, or even habitat.
We are lucky, we just received a fresh sample from the Adriatic Sea.
Please bear in mind to tag each individual with a ID for later recognition!
Summary
We hope you gained an insight into the morphological analysis of two deep sea sea-urchin species.
Your work is sincerely appreciated. Thanks to your effort, we are stepping closer to a sound description of these, potentially important species. What does that mean?
Biological systematic, describe the relationship between organisms and the influence of evolution.
Knowing these sea-urchin better, is the first step towards an ecological description. We might not be influenced by these sea-urchins because they live deep down, where light penetrates the bottom only volatile. But what if we already influence them with our actions?
Could it be that we are threatening this remote habitat, without really knowing its inhabitants?
Thanks to your effort, we got closer to the answer of this question.
You can find further information about some of the morphological structures by clicking here.