Here‘s a selection of your amazing wildlife sightings. Plus, our Ocean Ambassador Lizzie Daly talks about what to look out for around the UK this summer, the joys of jellyfish and some of her own memorable encounters
If you’d like to be featured in the next issue of Your Ocean, send a photo of your sightings to membership@mcsuk.org
Sea Champion Eleanor Goodman spotted a spiny starfish
“Following the steady retreat of the tide at Wembury, there is magic to be found! The pools hold so much life, so much wonder. They offer a sanctuary for marine wildlife, and are the perfect spot for a keen-eyed rockpooler to explore.”
Amelia de Silva, 9, spotted mermaid’s purses
“I was hunting for ages for mermaid’s purses and two turned up, washed up on the sand.”
Sea Champion Eleanor Goodman spotted a spiny starfish
“Following the steady retreat of the tide at Wembury, there is magic to be found! The pools hold so much life, so much wonder. They offer a sanctuary for marine wildlife, and are the perfect spot for a keen-eyed rockpooler to explore.”
Amelia de Silva, 9, spotted mermaid’s purses
“I was hunting for ages for mermaid’s purses and two turned up, washed up on the sand.”
Lizzie Daly’s most memorable recent sighting
“I saw three species of shark in one day which was mind-blowing: a thresher shark jumping out the water, a porbeagle shark and blue sharks off the coast of Wales. I feel really lucky to have seen them.”
Orkney Reid, 8, spotted a cushion star
Orkney is our Young Ocean Optimist Award runner-up. His three rockpooling tips for others are: “Be patient – it might look like there isn’t much there, but there will always be something. Look under rocks and weeds, and always leave everything the way you found it – it is their home. Always keep an eye on the tide – it comes in really quickly!”
Orkney Reid, 8, spotted a cushion star
Orkney is our Young Ocean Optimist Award runner-up. His three rockpooling tips for others are: “Be patient – it might look like there isn’t much there, but there will always be something. Look under rocks and weeds, and always leave everything the way you found it – it is their home. Always keep an eye on the tide – it comes in really quickly!”
Libby Keatley spotted a new species of nudibranch
Seasearch volunteer and Northern Ireland Coordinator Libby Keatley made an unexpected discovery while on a Seasearch survey dive. “I was looking at other animals attached to some boulders and cobbles on the seabed when I spotted a nudibranch. It was a bit different to any I had seen before, either in real life or in guides.. I didn’t think I would ever find anything so exciting. It just shows how important it is to always keep your eyes peeled. I actually deliberated for a while before calling over a nudibranch expert from the team as I didn’t want to make a big deal out of nothing. But I am very glad now that I did.
Libby Keatley spotted a new species of nudibranch
Seasearch volunteer and Northern Ireland Coordinator Libby Keatley made an unexpected discovery while on a Seasearch survey dive. “I was looking at other animals attached to some boulders and cobbles on the seabed when I spotted a nudibranch. It was a bit different to any I had seen before, either in real life or in guides.. I didn’t think I would ever find anything so exciting. It just shows how important it is to always keep your eyes peeled. I actually deliberated for a while before calling over a nudibranch expert from the team as I didn’t want to make a big deal out of nothing. But I am very glad now that I did.
The nudibranch was named after Libby Keatley: Dendronotus keatleyae
“Once a sample had been collected, the nudibranch was taken to the Queen’s University Belfast Marine Laboratory where it was sent off for DNA sequencing. When the results were returned, it was shown to be a species of Dendronotus that was not yet described. The findings were shared with other marine biologists around the world who were already doing work on this genus, and on 1 April 2023, Korshunova et al. published a paper describing this new species.
“I was informed that the authors had officially named the new species Dendronotus keatleyae – I was absolutely over the moon when I found out. It’s a real honour, especially when you are a mega nudibranch fan like me. And, yes, I was reassured that it definitely...
“Once a sample had been collected, the nudibranch was taken to the Queen’s University Belfast Marine Laboratory where it was sent off for DNA sequencing. When the results were returned it was shown to be a species of Dendronotus that was not yet described. The findings were shared with other marine biologists around the world who were already doing work on this genus, and on 1 April 2023, Korshunova et al. published a paper describing this new species.
“I was informed that the authors had officially named the new species Dendronotus keatleyae – I was absolutely over the moon when I found out. It’s a real honour, especially when you are a mega nudibranch fan like me. And, yes, I was reassured that it definitely...
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