Tiny planktonic animals typically become a harmless nuisance as they swarm our underwater lights on dark nights. This night was unusual in that some of them happened to painfully impale themselves in my skin! Since I always dive without gloves, I was unsure what was happening until one stabbed me in a finger and I could finally observe it frantically trying to free itself! Collecting a few of the 15mm spined monsters to bring home and photograph, we discovered them to be crustacean larvae and fortunately, except for the momentary sharp pain, resulted in no side effects.
12 March 2016