What Are Sand Dollars?

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Iola Car was a functional morphologist. And functional morphology is all about asking, why does this part do this? It's the wy. Well, evolutionary biology is like the hoo. When richs mentor switched from crabs to acinoderms, rich too was all aboard the econology train. Iola. Car particularly interested in the tube feet, which are tiny, little cylindric, really extensible, really extendable tubes that all sea urchins have.

The hedgehogs of the sea: echinoids are spiky, spiny, pokey, be-toothed, venomous, mysterious, gorgeous evolutionary marvels. And Dr. Rich Mooi of the California Academy of Arts & Sciences is one of their biggest champions. Come stroll through the offices for a face-to-face encounter with this infectious expert. We talk sand dollars, uni, doves of peace, fire urchins, kelp forests, tiny hats, butt placement, foot eyes and how to find your niche, even if it’s miles below the surface on a rotting log.

Learn More About Dr. Rich Mooi

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