APHOTOMARINE
An Educational Photographic Resource and Stock Image Library
of the Sea, Maritime Environment, Marine and Rockpool Life in the
Coastal Waters of South-West England by David Fenwick.
Flatworm ? found on Flotsam
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On flotsam / fouling organism
- cocoon / cyst / egg close-up 1
- cocoon / cyst / egg close-up 1
On flotsam / fouling organism
- worm / flatworm / larvae ? 1
On flotsam / fouling organism
- worm / flatworm / larvae ? 2
On flotsam / fouling organism
- worm / flatworm / larvae ? 3
On flotsam / fouling organism
- worm / flatworm / larvae ? 4
On flotsam / fouling organism
- on flotsam with Lepas 1
On flotsam / fouling organism
- group / colony 1
On flotsam / fouling organism
- group / colony 2
On flotsam / fouling organism
- side view / upper and lower 1
On flotsam / fouling organism
- side view cocoon / cyst / egg 1
On flotsam / fouling organism
- close-up cocoon / cyst / egg 1
This animal was found in a corner of a fish box that was washed up at Porth Kidney Sands, near Hayle, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.
The fish box also contained Lepas anatifera, the Common Stalked or Gooseneck Barnacle; Prickly Saddle Oyster (Heteranomia squamula); and one or two species of hydroid. The box has therefore probably been washed across the Atlantic from the USA or Canada.
The spherical objects in need of identification ''are not'' plant material or algae.
It has been agreed by experts that they may be eggs; and to expand this they may be either cocoons, cysts or egg sacs. It might be that they are cocoons of marine flatworms, sometimes called flukes, eggs of a type of snail or egg sacs of marine worm.
The close-up images at the top of this page were taken as a result of dissecting the animal. It has to be noted that by the time the species was found and first photographed, a week had elapsed before specimens were collected and the animals had been dessicated by frost and wind. The animal had to be rehydrated prior to dissection and macro photography. The second sequence of shots are of the animal in the state I originally found them; hydrated and mostly covered in a hydroid or similar.
I have placed the images here in case someone recognises the animal in the photos and can get back to me with an identity for it and so it can be recorded to the correct authorities in the UK.
Thank you for any help.
E-mail - David Fenwick
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