Items16The creator’s order
- 1
Beadlet anemoneA 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.0 - 2
Carcinus maenasBritain’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.0 - 3
Lipophrys pholisKnown 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.0 - 4
Common starfishLook 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.0 - 5
Pagurus bernhardusWait 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.0 - 6
Palaemon serratusA 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.0 - 7
Patella vulgataThe 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.0 - 8
Common periwinkleLook 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.0 - 9
Dog whelkDog 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.0 - 10
Ophiothrix fragilisThe 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.0
