Copyright © 2026 OyList. All Rights Reserved.
Share
Items16
1
Beadlet anemone
A dark red lump on a pool wall may be a beadlet anemone with its tentacles tucked away. Underwater it can open into a ring of short, thick tentacles. Some individuals are green or orange, so look for the shape as well as the color. Leave it attached to the rock.
More about Beadlet anemone2
Carcinus maenas
Britain’s common shore crab often scuttles into a crevice as you approach. Look for five pointed teeth along the front edge of its shell on each side of the eyes. The shell can be green, brownish, orange, or red, so the teeth are a better clue.
More about Carcinus maenas3
Lipophrys pholis
Known as the shanny, this little blenny has a blunt head and eyes set high up. It often waits beside weed or against the edge of a pool. If it stops long enough for a look, the head lacks the little tentacles found on some other blennies.
More about Lipophrys pholis4
Common starfish
Look lower down the shore for five tapered arms with small pale bumps along the top. The animal is often orange, but color varies. Look carefully in a shallow pool or among mussels and leave the starfish where it is attached.
More about Common starfish5
Pagurus bernhardus
Wait for a snail shell to move. The common hermit crab can show itself when its eyes and legs extend from the opening. Look for a bulky right claw with rough bumps, especially on a large animal. The shape of the borrowed shell can vary.
More about Pagurus bernhardus6
Palaemon serratus
A common prawn can be nearly transparent, with reddish bands and antennae that reach out into the water. Watch the water beside seaweed for a flick of movement. If the prawn holds still, look for the long, upward-curving point projecting in front of its eyes.
More about Palaemon serratus7
Patella vulgata
The common limpet has a low, peaked shell with ribs running toward the edge. It may be clamped tightly to a stone as the tide falls. Several British limpets look similar, so use the cone to recognize a limpet and leave the shell firmly in place.
More about Patella vulgata8
Common periwinkle
Look among weed or along a pool rim for a stout spiral shell with a pointed tip. Common periwinkles are often dark gray or brown. The rounded outline of the shell is a useful comparison with the flatter purple topshell and the limpet’s uncoiled cone.
More about Common periwinkle9
Dog whelk
Dog whelks often sit among barnacles or mussels, both of which they eat. Look for a sturdy pale or banded spiral shell. If the opening is already visible, a short notch at the lower end helps distinguish the shell from a common periwinkle.
More about Dog whelk10
Ophiothrix fragilis
The common brittlestar has a small central disk with five long, thin arms that bristle along the sides. Look into shaded gaps at the edge of deeper pools. An arm sticking out may be the first thing you see. Its delicate arms can break, so look without lifting it.
More about Ophiothrix fragilis11
Snakelocks anemone
Look for a loose bundle of long tentacles streaming in the water. They are often green with purple tips, though some are brownish. Their length is a useful distinction from a beadlet’s short tentacles. Watch the tentacles move in the water with the animal still attached.
More about Snakelocks anemone12
Rock gunnel
Also called a butterfish, the rock gunnel looks almost eel-like. It has a row of dark spots edged in pale color along the base of its long dorsal fin. Watch damp crevices and the edges of seaweed for a glimpse of its narrow body.
More about Rock gunnel13
Asterina gibbosa
The cushion star’s five very short arms make it look like a rounded pentagon. It can be greenish or a muted brown and rarely stands out at first glance. Look into shallow spaces under a ledge, then compare its outline with the long arms of a common starfish.
More about Asterina gibbosa14
Steromphala umbilicalis
The purple topshell has a squat cone crossed by reddish-purple stripes. It is small enough to overlook until you spot the pattern. Look on rock surfaces and pool edges for that low profile, which separates it from a taller, pointed common periwinkle.
More about Steromphala umbilicalis15
Velvet crab
A pair of brilliant red eyes can give away a velvet swimming crab hiding lower on the shore. The last pair of legs ends in flattened paddles. Look from above while it crosses the pool so you can see those rear legs without coming close to its claws.
More about Velvet crab16
Psammechinus miliaris
The green sea urchin has short, closely packed spines and a slightly flattened shape. Some have green spines with violet tips, while shallow-water animals can look dark all over. Look under the edge of seaweed in a sheltered pool and leave the animal in place.
More about Psammechinus miliaris
