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British Invertebrates - marine

Species 1 - 16 of 16

Common brittlestar (Ophiothrix fragilis)
Like all brittlestars, the common brittlestar has five long, slender arms, which radiate out from a central disc. The mouth... More	7 Images	1 Video

Common cockle (Cerastoderma edule)
This well-known edible cockle has a solid shell, consisting of two valves, which feature prominent ribs and concentric... More	7 Images	2 Videos

Common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)
The cephalopods (meaning 'head-footed'), a group of molluscs containing the octopuses, squid and cuttlefish, are probably the most... More	12 Images	8 Videos

Common hermit crab (Pagurus bernhardus)
Despite the common name, hermit crabs are related more closely to lobsters than to crabs. They lack a hard carapace, and adopt the... More	7 Images	4 Videos

Common jellyfish (Aurelia aurita)
This is the most common jellyfish on British shores. The body is a saucer shaped 'bell', which is colourless except for 4 obvious... More	8 Images	9 Videos

Common limpet (Patella vulgata)
The common limpet is a well-known seashore species. It has a conical shell, the outer surface of which is greyish-white. Shells... More	6 Images	3 Videos

Common lobster (Homarus gammarus)
The common lobster is a very large and commercially important species. The upper surface is dark blue in colour with yellowish... More	6 Images	5 Videos

Common mussel (Mytilus edulis)
The common mussel has a roughly triangular shell, which is bluish, purplish or brown in colour and covered with a black outer... More	10 Images	5 Videos

Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris)
The cephalopods (meaning ‘head-footed) are a group of molluscs that contain the octopuses, squid and cuttlefish, and are probably... More	9 Images	3 Videos

Common prawn (Palaemon serratus)
The common prawn is a well-known swimming crustacean, which is pinkish-brown in colour and features reddish spots and lines. The... More	9 Images	3 Videos

Common shore crab (Carcinus maenas)
The shore crab is one of the commonest crabs on the shore, and anyone who has gone rock-pooling is likely to have encountered one.... More	11 Images	5 Videos

Common shrimp (Crangon crangon)
The common shrimp, also known as the brown shrimp, is cryptically coloured; it is brown and covered with tiny flecks. Although most... More	5 Images	3 Videos

Common starfish (Asterias rubens)
The common starfish has 5 arms (although individuals may occasionally have just 4 or as many as 6). The colour varies from red... More	10 Images	5 Videos

Common whelk (Buccinum undatum)
This large, common whelk has a stout, yellowish-brown shell with lighter and darker spiral areas. It has 7-8 whorls, and a large... More	8 Images	3 Videos

Compass jellyfish (Chrysaora hysoscella)
The compass jellyfish has a saucer-shaped bell, with 32 semi-circular lobes around the fringe, each one with a brown spot. On the... More	5 Images	0 Videos

Curled octopus (Eledone cirrhosa)
The cephalopods (meaning 'head-footed'), a group of molluscs that contain the octopuses, squid and cuttlefish, are probably the... More	10 Images	2 Videos

Species 1 - 16 of 16

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