Each month, at least one special marine image will be published from images sent to the BMLSS. This can be of the seashore, undersea world or any aspect of the marine natural world, especially the underwater life, but not restricted to life beneath the waves. Topical inclusions may be included instead of the most meritorious, and images will be limited to the NE Atlantic Ocean and adjoining seas, marine and seashore species and land and seascapes.

ANSWER FOUR Skate Egg Capsules from the Orkney Isles Photograph by Richard Land These large egg cases were  washed up on the shores of the Orkney Isles, north of mainland Scotland. All the finds of over a hundred egg cases lacked the horns.  The large size of these egg cases means they are almost certainly* the cases of the endangered# Skate, Dipturus (=Raja) batis. The width of the purse above seems to be about 127 mm.  *Not thought to be either the egg cases of the Norwegian (or Black)  Skate, Dipturus nidarosiensis, or the Long-nosed Skate, Dipturus oxyrinchus. # The Common Skate is now absent from most of the seas around the British Isles. There is a small population caught off Mull (SW Scotland, islands) but the Orkneys remain a stronghold for an unimportant commercial catch of mixed Skate (Common and Black Skate).  Egg Capsules of Rays & Sharks (Link to the Web Pages) BMLSS Mermaid's Purses These egg cases are washed up every year. The local school children collected twenty in 2004.  The photograph shows the much smaller ray egg cases for comparison.  Notes: The lengths (wet when discovered) varied between 270 - 300 mm in length with a width of between 140 mm and 160 mm.  These egg cases lacked the external horns present on ray egg cases and these ones appear to be internal. Divers report the egg cases resting on the bottom at between 7 and 20 metres in depth over sand or sand and gravel bottoms. These are scallop grounds. When lifted the egg cases falls to the bottom and stays there. Large adult Common Skate are observed by divers on these grounds, but no juvenile skates have been spotted.  There is a problem inasmuch that these egg cases do not match a known photographed egg case of the Common Skate. This is being investigated. It is possible that the original photograph is incorrect and these "hornless" egg cases are correct for Common Skate? Or, more likely, the horns have broken off? Information provided by Richard Land    What does an egg case look like? (Shark Trust link) Procedure for ID (Bucket Science)

Small Swimming Crabs Although I identified these crabs at the time of capture, when looking at the photographs again, I was not sure I put the right captions on the images. NB the "teeth" or absence of between the eyes. These may be two different crabs?

Flat Winkle at Kingston Beach Shoreham-by-Sea Photograph by Andy Horton This winkle (in the photograph) is found on the highest immersed part of the shore and at the limit of the lowest neap tide periods.  There are two species of Flat Winkles found around British shores:  Littorina obtusata  Littorina  fabilis* (=L. mariae)  * Turton 1825 (according to Fish) They are found in a variety of colours: dark green and yellow are common. The yellow specimens are meant to give some sort of protection to the winkle from underwater predators like the Blenny, Lipophrys pholis.  BMLSS Winkles

The name of the particular coast should be included and the grid reference, if known. Print photographs can be included in Exhibitions and on the BMLSS Web Sites and electronic publications. Electronic images in *.JPG format can also be considered for the web site. They should not exceed 150K in size.

Photographers submitting pictures should indicate if they wish them to be considered for inclusion as confirming permission takes work and time and can delay publication of the news bulletins. 

Shore Topography Portfolio
 

Click on the album for more links (On-line link)
 
 

Wednesday 27th April, 7.00 pm - 8.30 pm

Earthwatch Lecture at the Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London

Grey Whales & Orca - Feeding Habits & Health

© Chris Newman

Our oceans are powerful indicators of the state of our planet and the incidence of climate change.  There is currently much public interest in whales and their environment, but the information is often poorly reported or interpreted.  Join us to hear about our research into two charismatic species, the coastal grey whale, which can weigh between 30 and 40 tonnes, and the killer whale, the most fearsome predator of the world's oceans - research which also tells us about the health of the oceans they inhabit.

Admission is free but by ticket only.

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Marine fish & invertebrates
of Northern Europe
Frank Emil Moen & Erling Svensen

In May 2004 the English edition of the very popular Norwegian Marine Fauna (Dyreliv I havet) was published. Prof. David Bellamy has written the foreword. 

More than one thousand underwater photographs and 608 pages with updated information on marine fish and invertebrates from nearly all marine phylum in Northern European waters. The largest newspaper in Norway, Aftenposten gave the Norwegian edition 6 out of 6 points in a book review. It is in use at all major higher marine biology studies in Norway. 

The English edition is translated by Prof Fredrik Pleijel and Dr. Sabine Cochrane. 
The book is available from Aquapress in the UK, Skandisk, Inc. USA and KOM in Norway .

The British Marine Life Study Society are responsible for producing the journal GLAUCUS, which is the first publication exploring the marine life of the seas surrounding the British Isles available to the general public. 

We also publish the SHOREWATCH Newsletter and
the TORPEDO Electronic News Bulletin.

The Glaucus 2002 CD-ROM was sent out to Premier BMLSS members in January 2003.

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Change of EMail Address
 

Please note that the EMail address for messages to the British Marine Life Study Society has now changed

from bmlss@compuserve.com to Glaucus@hotmail.com

Messages to the first address will not be replied to as this service is discontinued. 

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Membership 2005
Plans have not yet been finalised for the publications and subscriptions for year 2005. 
 

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