We have a sea gooseberry bloom here in Norfolk at the moment! Thousands of gooseberry-sized comb jellies (ctenophore) are currently washed up on our beaches, glistening in the sun. And yes, they’re plankton!
#marineplankton 🦑
A new thing, a new thing!! I had a single crab larva (zoea) in my sample yesterday, but it’s not my usual species (shore crab). This is (I believe) a baby bristly crab (Pilumnus hirtellus)! You can see a grown-up of this species in the thread
#marineplankton 🦑
Video
Video
Sometimes, looking under the microscope is like looking at a teeny tiny garden! These are suctoria ciliates from the genus Ephelota.
#marineplankton 🦑
Just inputting old sample records into a new database. Notes for 10 June 2023 state ‘hot day’. The temp? 17c. I used to think 17c was a hot day! I mean, I still do, but I’ll take it over 25c!
You never knew you wanted to see a sped-up video of a weevil cleaning itself, until now. It does a bloody thorough job too. @norfolknats.bsky.social
Have you ever thought to yourself ‘there just aren’t enough t-shirts that celebrate ciliates’? Well now you can let everyone know how much you love tintinnids! PLUS for every t-shirt sold, 100% of the profit goes to The Plankton Project CIC. #marineplankton 🦑