Sea Creatures of West Sligo Seashore
Click on the names to see and read about these sea creatures. Did you see any on your trip? Label your drawings.To view the picture fullsize, click on the thumbnails (pictures surrounded in blue boxes) and then click 'Back' button on the browser.
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This sea urchin ,or Sea Potato as it is commonly known, gets its name from the potato-like appearance of its shell. It usually lives in deeper waters where it can burrow into clean sand. It uses rows of tube feet to collect tiny bits from within its burrow. Top of Page |
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This is the most common of all the crabs on the shore. Its colour varies from yellows to reds through browns and greens to black.These colours provide perfect camouflage amongst the seaweeds. They feed on Periwinkles. Top of Page |
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You see here the cast of Lugworm that have burrowed into the sand. Lugworm will mostly be found on sandy and muddy beaches.It’s colour is dark greenish-brown.It can grow up to 20 centimetres.The lugworm spends it’s life in a u-shaped burrow.The front of it’s body is swollen and bear bristles and the narrower end bears gills. As it burrows in the sand it leaves a cast on the sand surface. Top of Page |
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This is the most common type of anemone found on the seashore and is often first noticed as blobs of jelly on the rocks. It is usually red but can also be green or orange- brown. By pulling in its tentacles, it reduces water loss at low tide. It likes to feed on small fish and shrimp. It stings its prey to catch it and devours it whole. Top of Page |
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This five armed starfish has a very rough upper surface with blunt spines that are embedded n it’s skin. The skin itself can vary in colour from orange to pale brown to mauve. They feed mainly on mussels. Top of Page |
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The keelworm lives permanently attached to rocks or stones. It lives in a chalky tube that it makes itself. At high tide it puts out its head and eats tiny animals. Top of Page |
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The common dolphin is a beautifully marked animal, with a long beak and pointed flippers. Dolphins live in hierarchical groups of 20 to 100 or more; groups sometimes join together, forming huge schools. They can be often seen following boats / ships and they jump clean out of the water as they swim. Top of Page |
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Porpoises live in small groups of up to 15 individuals. There is much communication within the group. Porpoises feed on fish, such as herring and mackerel, and can dive for up to 6 minutes to pursue prey. They are smaller than Dophins ( 1.4 m)and are rarely seen jumping out of the water. Thier nose is more rounder than that of the Doplhin. Top of Page |
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Common seals feed at sea but regularly haul out on to rocky shores or inter-tidal sandbanks to rest. They are known to eat a wide variety of fish, including herring, sandeels, whiting and flatfish. |