Category Archives: shells

Some Silver Steps Molluscs

Posted on by under diving, molluscs, shells, Silver Steps
After posting about the fish and crustaceans of my local dive site Silver Steps in Falmouth, it is time to give molluscs some love! The photos in this post were all taken at 5-10 meter depth at a gravelly bottom this year. Above (and at the end) the Turban Topshell (Gibbula magus) which is common subtidally. However, this was the first time I noticed that they have pretty sky-blue eyes! It is one of my challenges to take a pic of it with both eyes in the frame next year. Below, another favourite species of mine: the Pheasant Shell (Tricolia picta, previously P. pullus). This was a large individual (close to a centimetre?) with a candy cane striped pattern that I’d never seen before.
Next up a juvenile European Stingwinkle (Ocenebra erinaceus) on top of a Saddle Oyster and the Common Keyhole Limpet (Diodora graeca). The latter might be called ‘common’ but I do not see it very often. Going from the Gastropods to the Bivalves: a King Scallop (Pecten maximus) with its many eyes. Moving to yet another Mollusc Class: meet the Cephalopod Common Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis). This was a very large individual covered in many small white lesions, probably near the end of its life. It was fine in my presence and let me take some photos. It is sometimes strange to think that these intelligent creatures are more closely related to a clam than to a fish! Some bonus photos at the end.

macro macro macro

Posted on by under Macro, mzuiko60mm, shells, snorkeling
There was little wind last Saturday and a superlow tide so time for some rockpool macro! Above, a Purple Topshell Calliostoma zizyphinum; common but and pretty. I liked the background which was achieved using a relatively shallow depth of field (f/8). I took my time exploring a small patch (core body temperature slowly decreasing) as this is the only way to find creatures that are smaller than topshells. I spotted a St. John’s Stalked Jellyfish Calvadosia cruxmelitensis and took the same shallow depth of field approach (f/5.6).
Lastly a pretty little mollusc: the White Tortoiseshell Limpet Tectura virginea. (It is only about half a centimetre long, so I had to use my CMC-1 wetlens for extra magnification.) This species is found on calcified red seaweeds on which it grazes. Their colouration is amazing (I especially like that the growing edge of the shell looks very different). Similar-sized Blue-rayed Limpets (see this recent post) are much more often photographed than this species – what can I say, Tortoiseshell Limpets are the hipster’s choice!

A Late October Snorkel

Posted on by under cnidarians, crustaceans, molluscs, mzuiko60mm, photography, shells, snorkeling, tunicates
I have a lot more pics from this year to put on the blog but those have to wait, as I want to post some photos from last Saturday first, when there was little wind, a low tide and some sun! The viz was not great as expected, so I brought the macrolens and went in search for some small critters. No special finds, but I was very happy with my shots of a common little mollusc the European Cowrie (Trivia monacha). Most people will be familiar with this species as beach finds of empty shells, but not know how it looks like when it is alive, when its mantle covers most of the shell, it shows its striped tail at the back and a siphon and cute little eyes at the front. I used a shallow depth of field (f/4) to get rid of the ugly cluttered background, which worked well if I may say so myself (I need to try this technique more often!).

Many other critters were found too and I took shots of a selection. First, a Sea Spider, all legs and crawling away. A tiny mat of colonial tunicate that looked like a persian rug on drugs. A quick shot of the ubiquitous (if you know where to look – on kelp fronds) blue-rayed Limpets and a stalked jellyfish. Finally, I spent a lot of time taking shallow-depth-of-field AND slow shutter-speed photos of a scorpion spider crab in a snakelocks anemone to get some sort of ‘artistic’ shot. It did not really work, but it was fun nonetheless and I will have a go at it again. After almost 2,5 hours in the water I stumbled back to the car to get changed – an afternoon well-spent!

Pheasant Shells

Posted on by under Macro, molluscs, rock pooling, shells, snorkeling

The Pheasant Shell is one of my favourite little critters in the rockpools in Falmouth. It is a bit weird to refer to these organisms as ‘shells’ actually, as they are living things and the nonliving shell is ofcourse only a part of them. The confusion extends to its scientific name: this species was previously known as Tricolia pullus, but has recently been split into a Southern European T. pullus species and a Northern European T. picta species. Perhaps the dust needs to still settle on that one.

I have taken these photos, on different occasions, with the mzuiko 60mm macrolens and the nauticam cmc-1 wetlens. The extra magnification the latter lens (screwed onto the housing) offers is great; although somehow I always want to get even CLOSER! I have not nailed the Pheasant Shell shot either. Reflecting on these pics I think I need to use a shallower depth of field to get rid of cluttered backgrounds. Next time.

The calcified operculum (the little door to close the shell) is clearly visible in the first photo above, as are the tentacles. On the second photo above you can even see that the left ‘neck lobe’ is more deeply digitated (fingerlike) than the right one. For more detailed (studio)shots of this and other molluscs please see Morddyn’s flickr account. I will post more macroshots of other mollusc species soon!

Shells

Posted on by under shells

I started a Cornish shell collection with my children recently. So yesterday we went to our local beach on Flushing to look for new additions. Lying down I took a really close look and was rewarded with a whole bunch of tiny species. On this photo, 14 species comfortably fit on a square inch. Species names in a clockwise spiral:

Bela powisiana

Tritia incrassata (Thick-lipped Dog Whelk)

Trivia arctica (Arctic Cowrie)

Tricolia pullus (Pheasant Shell)

Bittium reticulatum (Needle Whelk)

Littorina obtusata (Flat Periwinkle)

Calliostoma zizyphinum (Painted Top Shell)

Steromphola cineraria (Grey Top Shell)

Littorina saxatilis (Rough Periwinkle)

Tectura virginea (White Tortoise Shell Limpet)

Rissoa lilacina

Peringia ulvae (Mudsnail)

Nucella lapillus (Dog Whelk)

Steromphola umbilicalis (Flat Top Shell)