Residents of Oklahoma found a mysterious hard sac-like ‘egg’ hanging from the tree roots at the lake, but scientists are now calming the locals, who immediately jumped to conclusions of alien proportions, by explaining that it’s an ancient creature
These creatures have found the right space and environment, so its likely they’ll be around a lot this summer.
Locals in Oklahoma discovered large, jelly-like sacs with a hard exterior hanging from tree roots; they immediately thought the answer was extraterrestrial. Or at least not good news.
But scientists, reassuring the public, have said that the locals in the area got a rare treat – the glimpse of the reproductive system of an ancient animal that’s been around since before the dinosaurs.
Immediately, locals put it up online, and spectators began commenting on the extraterrestrial-looking eggs. But scientists say that the creatures were simple bryozoans. They’ve been around for hundreds of millions of years, before the first dinosaurs roamed the planet. The animals may actually be good news for the lake.
These bizarre creatures are actually hundreds of tiny bryozoans.
Officials reassured the public that the animals are absolutely supposed to be there
Bryozoans clone themselves into large masses to filter tiny particles out of the water for food, cleaning up the lake. The critters normally reside in ponds and lakes. This time, it was found in McGee Creek Reservoir, located on the southwest edge of the Ouachita Mountain Range.
Bryozoan clumps aren’t an egg or just one animal at all. They form this hard shell as they are hundreds of creatures banded together. The pods, known as zooids, are each a fraction of a millimeter long. They lack any respiratory or circulatory systems, but their central nerve ganglion allows the animal to respond to stimuli.
These pods are hanging from tree roots, and actually help clean the lake
The tiny invertebrates possess both male and female reproductive organs, allowing them to self-clone and spread through clumps of cells on the organism known as statoblasts.
Each statoblast can reproduce asexually. They do this by breaking off from a colony, allowing the animal to reproduce rapidly if the space and the weather are suitable. The animals eat phytoplankton and bacteria lurking in water.
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Fossil records suggest they may have evolved from an ancient marine worm. Their grandparents, ancient bryozoans, date back as far as 470 million years. For perspective, dinosaurs came around 245 million years ago.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) shared the photos on social media. “What is that??? If you’re out boating somewhere like McGee Creek Reservoir you may notice these strange jelly-like balls hanging from submerged tree limbs,” begins the post.
“These are Bryozoans, and they’ll likely show up in large numbers this summer. Don’t be alarmed these microorganisms are native and are of no danger to you or wildlife. In fact, they are an indicator of good environmental quality and clear water!”
Anna Nicole Smith’s Daughter’s 18th Birthday Style Sparks Debate – See Her Dramatic ‘Goth’ Look!
Dannielynn Birkhead recently celebrated her 18th birthday, and it was a special event. However, her choice of outfit for the party stirred up a lot of online discussion. Some people loved her unique style, while others didn’t like it at all.
The birthday celebration for Dannielynn, who is the daughter of the late Anna Nicole Smith, was a big event. Despite the party being memorable, her fashion choice sparked a lot of mixed reactions from people online.
On Saturday, September 7, Dannielynn Birkhead’s dad, Larry Birkhead, shared some exciting photos on Instagram. He gave fans a peek into their special celebration at the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” The Afterlife Experience in Los Angeles. It was clear that Dannielynn’s 18th birthday was a unique and memorable event, just like they had planned.
Larry Birkhead posted on Instagram, “Dannielynn had a great time celebrating her 18th birthday with friends and family at the @beetlejuiceafterlife.exp and @beetlejuicemovie. It made for an out-of-this-world experience!” He shared photos of the fun and spooky celebration, giving fans a glimpse into Dannielynn’s special day.
Dannielynn went all-out for her 18th birthday with a gothic-chic look, wearing an all-black outfit from Hot Topic. Larry Birkhead shared on Instagram, “Of course, Dannielynn found a Hot Topic store to get a spooky outfit for all the fun! Happy 18th Birthday Dannielynn!” His post added a playful touch to the celebration.
Dannielynn fully embraced the quirky Beetlejuice theme with her birthday look. She wore spooky makeup, styled her blonde hair in loose waves with bangs, and rocked a gothic glam outfit. Among the highlights of her birthday celebration, she was seen posing by the ocean with a stunning sunset in the background.
Another photo showed Dannielynn striking a pose with a man dressed as Beetlejuice himself!
Other photos captured Dannielynn getting her makeup done and beaming with joy at the entrance to the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” movie event.
One clip even showed her waving to the camera with a Beetlejuice sign on the table. As with any big celebration on social media, Dannielynn’s birthday post sparked a range of opinions.
Critics quickly shared their thoughts on Dannielynn’s gothic makeup and outfit. One commenter said, “She’s goth… Anna Nicole would not approve of that,” while another lamented, “Her mother is turning in her grave .” Some were blunt, stating, “Not a good look,” and one person even suggested, “Larry needs to stop dressing her.”
Despite the criticism, Dannielynn’s supporters rallied to her side. One fan defended her, saying, “Dad did right by his daughter. I know Anna would be so proud; she’s so beautiful like her mom .” Another praised her, writing, “Such a lovely girl! Her mama would be proud!” Many fans highlighted Dannielynn’s resemblance to her famous mother, with one commenting, “Beautiful girl. Looks so much like her mother.”
Larry Birkhead shared that Dannielynn’s final look was inspired by “Ankh” from the movie “Kamen Rider OOO 10th: Core Medal of Resurrection.”
He wrote, “Had an awesome time at this weekend’s @officialpowermorphicon in Pasadena, California, thanks to @tokuspirits! Dannielynn was so excited to meet @maaaaaaaasahiro (Masahiro Inoue) who plays ‘Decade’ from ‘Kamen Rider Decade,’ that she was overcome with joy.”
Larry continued in his message, “She was also excited to meet @yuikoike_official (Gokai Pink) and @ozawa_ryota (Gokai Red) from ‘Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger,’ and @yasuhisa_furuhara0813 (Go-on Red) from ‘Engine Sentai Go-Onger’ was another favorite! This was the first stop and a pre-celebration for Dannielynn’s upcoming birthday! The countdown begins now!”
Larry continued in his message, “She was also excited to meet @yuikoike_official (Gokai Pink) and @ozawa_ryota (Gokai Red) from ‘Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger,’ and @yasuhisa_furuhara0813 (Go-on Red) from ‘Engine Sentai Go-Onger’ was another favorite! This was the first stop and a pre-celebration for Dannielynn’s upcoming birthday! The countdown begins now!”
Larry thanked everyone and the organizations that helped make their attendance at the event possible. He hinted that he and Dannielynn might be heading to Japan next, closing his caption with excitement about future adventures.
Fans who saw their fun at Power Morphicon took to the comments, praising Dannielynn’s various looks and her beautiful hair transformations.
Dannielynn Birkhead and her father, Larry Birkhead, share a close and supportive relationship. As Dannielynn transitions into adulthood, she continues to make her father proud. Larry often reflects on her growth and the journey they’ve shared, celebrating her milestones and achievements.
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