This week’s Species in Focus is the Cornish Sucker. This unique looking fish may be little but packs a powerful ability to latch on to rocky surfaces using its adapted pelvic fins.
The broad-clawed porcelain crab is a charismatic little rock poolers favourite. It is the most common species of porcelain crab found in the UK and can often be found clinging tightly to the underside of rocks below mid tide level.
Our second species in focus features probably the most popular new arrival to our shores in recent years. Certainly in Cornwall, where this little crab is named after the region's patron Saint
The Cushion star (Asterina gibbosa) is a little, well camouflaged starfish that is commonly found in rockpools on many of the UK coasts.
Galathea squamifera, the common squat lobster, is a species of intertidal crustacean. Don’t be fooled by the name- these fancy fellows are actually more closely related to hermit crabs than lobsters.
We had just wrapped up our Beach Day activities, tallied up the points, and announced the winners of our bioblitz competition. In the summer months we run a ‘See Our Shore’ session, complete with a mobile rock pool so that the general public can view some of the wildlife we have found. I decided to hang behind in hopes of finding a Spider Crab to add to the collection. We often come across these magnificent creatures in the low shore pools.
The beadlet anemone (Actinia equina) is small red anemone that looks like red circular blobs on rockpools and is found on most UK rocky shores. They only reveal their short tentacles when underwater and use the base of their body as a strong sucker to keep them attached to the shore.
.jpg)
