SEA SNAILS
… wait we should just call them snails and all snails on land- “land snails” right?!
these are basically tiny backpackers of the rockyshore, ready for adventure at any moment… like more enthusastic bilbo baggins’. you can’t convince me otherwise.
Scroll through the species I have found and photographed rockpooling so far, or search in the bar below.
If I haven’t documented the species you are looking for be sure to check back soon as I update the site reguarily with my new finds!
Flat Top Shell – Gibbula umbilicalis
Flat Topshell - Gibbula umbilicalis This anoth Flat topshells are cute a curious creatures, one of my favourite encounters with a species was with a little flat top shell that was more than happy to come out of its shell and pose for the camera! I hadn't met any...
Dog Whelk – Nucella lapilus
Dog Whelk - Nucella lapillus Dog whelks lay eggs and are pretty gruseome predators. Yep, both of those things are entirely true! Below are the photos of the little eggs you can find on the bottom of rocks, particuairty in spring left by this species. To fin dour who...
Flat Periwinkle – Littorina obtusata
Flat Periwinkle - Littorina obtusata Flat Periwinkle are the cutests of all rockyshore snails - thats a fact. Called flat periminkles because they dont really have the pointy bit of the shell and are much more spherical. These can be found living among seaweeds,...
Common periwinkle – Littorina littorea
Common periwinkle - Littorina littorea Periwinkles - our friendly seasnail pals! I remeber watching and counting these as a kid, one of my first introductions to the rockyshore world! With dark black shells, and a stripey snail body these are as cute as well......
Spotted Cowrie – Trivia monacha
Spotted Cowrie - Trivia monacha Cowries are Cool - should that be on a t-shirt? These little snails have a gorgeous indented shell, which when you touch is feel silky smooth. Thats because the mantle, which is basically snail skin, covers not only the entire body of a...
Black Footed Limpet – Patella depressa
Black Footed Limpet - Patella depressa The Black Footed Limpet, called such because unlike the common limpet the soft snail-like organsims living in the shell is dark... I would show you but I haven't had the heart to pull one of these guys off there rock and...
Tortoise Shell Limpet – Testudinalia testudinalis
Tortoise Shell Limpet - Testudinalia testudinalis As I am sure many people are, I am a big fan of tortoises! I am also a big fan of limpets, something I suppose is less common. So my oh my when I saw my first tortiose shelled limpet at Dunbar Beach in Scotland...
Common Whelk – Buccinum undatum
Common Whelk - Buccinum undatum This species is responsible for the absolutlely lovable spiral shells you can find walking along the beaches in the UK! But you can imagine my delight one day when I went to pick up one of these shells rockpooling for a closer look...
Common Limpet – Patella vulgata
Lightbulb Seasquirt - Clavelina lepadiformis Ever need inspiration for an idea, ask these seasquirts! Aptly named the light bulb seasquirt because, well look at them they look just like a lightbulb! How amazing, and always such a fun find when your rockpooling. Its...
Blue Rayed Limpet – Patella pellucida
Blue Rayed Limpet - Patella pellucida Blue and BEAUTIFUL, these limpets are real gems on the rockyshore ... or to be more specific kelp! You wont find these species anywhere but kelp really.. occasionaly a few on other seaweeds. Search on the fronds of kelp and...
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