Just random thoughts after a particular blog article & their fire-lashing comments

Apparently
I know the two contributors
& I admire both due to their deep knowledge and ability to identify by scientific names of most marine animals

Well...
I know marine animals too
By common names, ecological roles
But of course I guess I also know my Echinolittorinids more than anyone else

So this happens to be an issue of species identification
Where the author was just penning down her trip and species encountered to share with everyone
With quotations from an echinoderm expert who was trying hard to identify the exact sea urchin species by mere look
Telling the audience what that particular sea urchin species could probably be
& of course, listening to an expert talking about a probably newly found species on Singapore shore is exciting!
Like, what else can we possibly find in other Singapore shores that are yet to visit?

Our fellow friend then argued upon the identification of the sea urchin
Claiming that it could belong to another species
& the echinoderm expert was wrong
Supporting his argument with recently published journals
Verifying the discrepancy of this identity crisis

I would say is...
True, not all scientists are correct

If all havent realised
The arrows in the food webs that we learnt in our science textbooks are wrong
It should point the opposite way (i.e from predator to prey) if we want our students to learn it ecologically
But this isnt an issue
Because we only want our students to know what is happening in a food web

Likewise I will say for this poor sea urchin that is feeling all so guilty for creating such a sparked argument between nature enthusiasts
I bet it never get to know what it is called either
But at least we know it is an sea urchin and its ecological role in the marine ecosystem
If we really wanna dig in knowing its exact name
By all means

Carpet anemones were identified wrongly too, previously
& all thanks to this sea anemone expert who corrected us

But it's human to err
& most of the time
Results comes from experience
Probably the echinoderm expert didnt have much chances to investigate on that particular sea urchin species to thoroughly confirm its exact taxonomy?
Or rather, how about hybridization?
We will never know unless DNA is tested
& what's more
Probably that journal author is wrong too

I do have problems identifying my Echinolittorinids too
While working on rocks that bear more than one tiny mollusc species

The smooth periwinkles Littoraria spp. look almost the same as my Echinolittorina vidua by just mere look

Smooth periwinkles

Echinolittorina vidua standing

Littoraria spp. on my research site looks almost the same as my E. vidua due to faded stripes found on their shells
Even sometimes I mistook the Littoraria spp. as E. vidua
Their shell morphology from the aerial view is also similar
It's only upon observing the base operculum of them will I only get to differentiate between these two

Also, I also have hard time differientating between Echinolittorina radiata and Echinolittorina vidua in Hong Kong while doing my FYP
Likewise, their shell morphology looks similar
But E. radiata is differentiated by the pointed mark at the base

Probably
The echinoderm expert just need more time to exactly identify the sea urchin thoroughly since it's new to all
Based on the short trips & photos
Details might be lacking at different angles of the 3D structure

For now
Just hope that we learn by sharing
& not by pin-pointing at the not-so-grave mistakes

Studying ecology is a never ending lesson
Species interaction with changing environment brings about strong selection forces resulting in evolution
Probably
The next look-alike species is a newly arose, evolved species we'll yet to find out