A couple of months ago, during a helpfully low tide, I went to
Calshot Beach (Hampshire, southern England) with a group from the
Southampton Natural History Society to see what intertidal and saltmarsh beasts we could discover. With few if any of us being marine/littoral specialists, there was a good chance that we would expand our joyous wildlife experience with some new species (well, new to us anyway).
Although many of our findings were invertebrates, one early specimen was a plant, the Perennial Glasswort
Salicornia perennis.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHkCnuVC-SImKr8c3mJ-ut9qH3ho_Koxq8uQ_QRVMzVbxFfKkpB3vwJUaIpMvcE7IJYnK0PkQqHBtA37tHa-HGIkRg5vrq82LOzzCGrH_TB_yemUUlVNvtVjDKkDSSiEWd0wCc4enGtnA/s400/salicornia1a.JPG) |
On the saltmarsh, Perennial Glasswort showing tiny scale-like leaves. |
From there, interest moved onto the invertebrates - some annotated examples as follows - enjoy!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupVMEbEm4ratbXGqZGmOX7b67A1d6rFJrU3vyuOxDGHQ4tF3zpZyiqvP-wQA7J7kKhwmxD11TEPMRCuz4BzGlamDA23tEyidI8S5AqrrYzZRUCj_gqVLeEAX9XVdfGPYLHZZfoBFXGTcN/s400/crosscutcarpet1.JPG) |
Tapes decussatus, the Cross-cut Carpet Shell from the strandline |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Qybuhp46FMLLX2vn-2d90E0eHobQRb3TW5Rw8DKghKkEvflNglPMeYWUCTzhaDLpwoYfZBY6Br-6VwjnumqvCAUypb0V4odVu0uJqQAaG38zcvWs6sCw-zhmo3rXlEtA1v4EEpjgM25f/s400/dahlia1a.JPG) |
Above and below, two colour forms of the Dahlia Anemone Urticina felina. The upper specimen was around 10-12cm across, the lower one around 8cm. Splendid creatures.
|
|
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOOS69Y6DrcwM7J34a1wJuTC_KWSc5-gv2H_aOhzSo9ZrZfRHZquQRJE9x78v_LVQQUJZ8rtO44lu49mgAE8mfbnEwcMDhpgcZ-0P448HVbRGVcQLbnuUzofpZbp9Hh92_iFKh9DSYI39/s400/snakelocks1.JPG) |
The splendid Snakelocks Anemone Anemonia viridis, around 8-10cm across.
|
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAA6VYJ0ibmFmK25puNfpK_BVfJdocpFXa0od76t1y_Cci8G42pVXdptFqsTrDyp6BTdsfzNIoZ0a0JuObqGjMyMjqvGaH4509ySSClkTmXAZLdgk_6CrSXqqsFmmkbZNnx3kKYTaSGyOD/s400/haminoea1a.JPG) |
Not the usual type of seashell, but the shell of a Haminoea sea-slug. Around 1.5cm, several found on the strandline. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycAuf38T0qbudeihT94nf_TJ1rYP9CDaGEnhYV9uff9YQajJNFtwOFbVE7aaZTVeEliJ-v0xmdsc5RShn28YFROXq5331heCmMqmvnq6rHVXIhI_soQf4KCLrAKp9sSW-imU8Jzh-vh5U/s400/quahog1.JPG) |
A N.American introduction, the Quahog Mercenaria mercenaria, carrying another one from across the pond, a Slipper Limpet Crepidula fornicata as well as some tiny Spirorbis worms.
|
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcj3Cj6gAvAi-W-T86qI9Ff5sOMNrdxjiJoJYZSbxfzuu9HfUJ6-Tx-FyNdbBdNrXJ4c4QNIFp4b12boKZH1s7DasjYerw7ler9UJTfgNqBjgdgmHO293y__a7xgvitbn49Fr_A7Y-DnvR/s400/edcrab1.JPG) |
Though not in edible condition, an Edible Crab Cancer pagurus with various hitchhikers...
|
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLpFZ5uFW_-jRc6DTV9OnZamcuVm8wBI0xR_36ZsnKuVYnzQAzL8yLST_6SDHcqxRDBvhW_xeq5bvfQGJXqhHPim60GT5zyDjlt2dX3lbxvElyIRWa_SudeFIheOX19gl1VL82gZfFWBVU/s400/turbants1a.JPG) |
To finish, above and below views of the Turban Top Shell Gibbula magus - I particularly like the sculptural form of this shell.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment