Snapping
Prawns
During the Equinox extremely low spring
tides of March Frances Chapman, Leader of the Kerrier North
U3A Wildlife group, organised a low tide ramble of the
shoreline at Marazion.
We searched along the low water mark
near the causeway to St Michaels Mount.
John Munday found two
‘snapping prawns’ which may be
Alpheus glaber
or Athanas nitescens both more commonly found in
the Mediterranean.
Whilst being photographed they
certainly made a sharp click with their huge
claws.
These sounds are supposed to stun prey
and ward off predators.
Rosemary Parslow says these prawns have
been known to smash aquarium glass!
These are only about 5cm in
length.
The prawns were taken to the Blue Reef
Aquarium the next day but there is still some uncertainty
about their exact identity. They are a pair and the female has
since produced some eggs.
By Treve Opie
Photos by Michael Munday and Frances
Chapman
Keyhole
Limpet
I was lucky
enough to find a keyhole limpet.
This extremely
low tide produced a mass of interesting specimens including
bull huss, Scyliorhinus stellaris, egg cases containing live
young. Pam Channon found a recently hatched baby huss in a
rockpool.
These egg cases
are part of the ‘Mermaids purse’ range of eggs.
Treve Opie
Harlequin
Ladybird
I have had my record of a Harlequin ladybird
confirmed by the ladybird survey team.
7/5/2011 on a redcurrant bush in my garden
SW666436 It was around for several days.
Treve Opie
UK Ladybird Survey team.
Biological Records Centre
CEH Wallingford
Maclean Building
Benson Lane
Crowmarsh Gifford
Wallingford
OX10
8BB
