Alternative factoids
You might be keen to know a bit more about the various molluscs you’ve been studying here. This section will not appear in the quiz as questions.
The celtic sea slug is one of the Climate Change Indicators you’ll be learning more about whilst taking part in Shoresearch Surveys. This species is thought to be moving northwards as our seas are becoming generally warmer.
The dog whelk is one of several species which drills perfectly circular holes in other shells (such as mussels and limpets) to feed on them. These holes can be found in shells left on shore.
Dog whelks are a well-studied intertidal species and are the main species which shows the effects of certain chemicals in the marine environment. Females exhibit what’s called imposex, which means they grow male sexual features, which then means they cannot reproduce.
Blue-rayed limpets are known to migrate as they age from youngsters on pink encrusting algae to wrack and kelp stipes and fronds to finally the kelp holdfast, where they live out their days.
Piddocks are capable of making tunnels in rock, peat by rotating their shell which has “teeth” on the outer surface, slowly carving a hole in which they live.
Blue-rayed limpets blue lines are created by what’s called structural colour, colour created by fine-scale textures reflecting light in different ways.