Sea mouse, Crosby beach, Merseyside (1 Viewer)

[ColinD]

I found two washed up sea mice on Crosby beach, Merseyside today. I know nothing about this species, except that I do know I've never seen one before. Does anybody know if this is unusual? How common are they?

 

[halftwo]

Do you mean louse, Colin?

 

[ColinD]

Do you mean louse, Colin?

No, sea mouse Aphrodita aculeata. Apparently it lives on the bottom of the ocean to depths of 3000m! It's about 6" long x 1.5" wide!

 

[chris butterworth]

They have a strange distribution in the northern Irish Sea. While they are fairly common along the Formby coast and off the Isle of Man, there are only a handful of records from the Wirral and Point of Air / Gronant.

 

[CJW]

Interesting origins of the Latin name...

 

[ColinD]

Interesting origins of the Latin name...

Trust you! oddly, when I saw this creature, that wasn't my first thought.

 

[coaltit]

Sea mouse,

Trust you! oddly, when I saw this creature, that wasn't my first thought.

Where,s there two there might be more Have Never seen them before certainly not on here anyway.. well done you and get them Recorded.

 

[honeym]

Some useful info here http://www.marlin.ac.uk/speciesinformation.php?speciesID=2564 with distribution maps, etc.
Martin

 

[ColinD]

Some useful info here http://www.marlin.ac.uk/speciesinformation.php?speciesID=2564 with distribution maps, etc.
Martin

Thanks, that's very interesting.