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They will choose areas where there is plenty of water likes to wander when covered by water grazing lazily on
in movement, such as a tidal zone. Water carries tiny tiny seaweeds and encrusting animals. It then returns to
animals and plants that the mussel filters out as food the scar once the tide goes out once again.
using its gills. Using its strong hair-like byssus threads
the mussel attaches itself to rocks, stones or other Lugworm
mussels. Lugach
Arenicola marina
Edible Periwinkle
Gioradán Walk upon a beach and you may notice some
Littorina Littorea spaghetti like casts in the sand. These, more than
likely are a type of bristly worm , the Lugworm. This sea
worm spends its life inside its U-shaped burrow feeding
on the sand and extracting any nourishment it can. A pit
is formed above its head as it eats while the undigested
sand is removed and this forms the cast. The body, as in
all bristleworms, is segmented and looks similar to an
earthworm.
This is one of the most common and familiar sea Compass Jellyfish
snails on the Irish seashore and is the largest of Smugairle an chompáis
the winkle family. Edible Periwinkles bear a thick Chrysaora hysoscella
coiled shell dark grey brown in colour and often with
darker lines. This coloring is a camouflage helping the Bluish white in colour and bearing brown V-shaped
Periwinkle to blend in with the seaweeds under which markings on the top of its bell-shaped body and a
it lives. Out of water the Edible Periwinkle closes its ‘frill’ of brown markings around the edge- the Compass
shell with a horny disc called the operculum sealing the Jellyfish is quite a pretty sight. The anatomy of this
creature inside. You can find this type of Periwinkle on Jellyfish is made up of 24 tentacles arranged in groups as
all types of shore of the Irish coast. well as four very long and “frilly” mouth arms and eight
sense organs. You may find Adult Compass Jellyfish in
Common limpet Irelands coastal waters from July to September often to a
Bairneach coiteann size of 30cm in diameter. Also, they may be seen washed
Patella vulgata up on a beach. The Compass Jellyfish feeds on worms
and small jellyfish.
The common limpet is a common sight on rocky Irish A free floating animal, the Common Jellyfish feeds
shores, easily recognised by its cone shaped shell. on a wide range of plankton and small fish. It has a
One strong sucker foot allows it to cling onto the rock body shaped like a saucer adn can grow up to 25cm
surface . The watertight grip allows the limpet to keep in diameter with four mouth arms purple in colour
water within its’ shell also protecting it from predators hanging below it. It has four purple horseshoe shaped
and strong waves. Look closer and you will see how each rings on the top of its body which are its reproductive
Limpet has its own “home base” on a rock. This is an organs. This Jellyfish is most commonly seen as a blob
oval scar which is the exact shape of the shell. The limpet of transparent jelly washed up on the shore. It may be
found in large numbers in the summer around coastal
waters.
114
in movement, such as a tidal zone. Water carries tiny tiny seaweeds and encrusting animals. It then returns to
animals and plants that the mussel filters out as food the scar once the tide goes out once again.
using its gills. Using its strong hair-like byssus threads
the mussel attaches itself to rocks, stones or other Lugworm
mussels. Lugach
Arenicola marina
Edible Periwinkle
Gioradán Walk upon a beach and you may notice some
Littorina Littorea spaghetti like casts in the sand. These, more than
likely are a type of bristly worm , the Lugworm. This sea
worm spends its life inside its U-shaped burrow feeding
on the sand and extracting any nourishment it can. A pit
is formed above its head as it eats while the undigested
sand is removed and this forms the cast. The body, as in
all bristleworms, is segmented and looks similar to an
earthworm.
This is one of the most common and familiar sea Compass Jellyfish
snails on the Irish seashore and is the largest of Smugairle an chompáis
the winkle family. Edible Periwinkles bear a thick Chrysaora hysoscella
coiled shell dark grey brown in colour and often with
darker lines. This coloring is a camouflage helping the Bluish white in colour and bearing brown V-shaped
Periwinkle to blend in with the seaweeds under which markings on the top of its bell-shaped body and a
it lives. Out of water the Edible Periwinkle closes its ‘frill’ of brown markings around the edge- the Compass
shell with a horny disc called the operculum sealing the Jellyfish is quite a pretty sight. The anatomy of this
creature inside. You can find this type of Periwinkle on Jellyfish is made up of 24 tentacles arranged in groups as
all types of shore of the Irish coast. well as four very long and “frilly” mouth arms and eight
sense organs. You may find Adult Compass Jellyfish in
Common limpet Irelands coastal waters from July to September often to a
Bairneach coiteann size of 30cm in diameter. Also, they may be seen washed
Patella vulgata up on a beach. The Compass Jellyfish feeds on worms
and small jellyfish.
The common limpet is a common sight on rocky Irish A free floating animal, the Common Jellyfish feeds
shores, easily recognised by its cone shaped shell. on a wide range of plankton and small fish. It has a
One strong sucker foot allows it to cling onto the rock body shaped like a saucer adn can grow up to 25cm
surface . The watertight grip allows the limpet to keep in diameter with four mouth arms purple in colour
water within its’ shell also protecting it from predators hanging below it. It has four purple horseshoe shaped
and strong waves. Look closer and you will see how each rings on the top of its body which are its reproductive
Limpet has its own “home base” on a rock. This is an organs. This Jellyfish is most commonly seen as a blob
oval scar which is the exact shape of the shell. The limpet of transparent jelly washed up on the shore. It may be
found in large numbers in the summer around coastal
waters.
114
