The sea has calmed down and we’ve arrived in the final and
largest survey area. We’ve continued to encounter a range of interesting
species. Dogger Itch is not the only animal which we need to be wary of. In the
last few days, we have also encountered the lesser weever fish. A picture of
the lesser weever fish accompanied by the words ‘Weever Fish Stings’ was placed on the
wall in the wet lab on the first day of the survey to warn the scientists to
take care. The lesser weever fish has poisonous spines on its first dorsal fins
and gills. Needless to say, we’ve being handling it with extreme care.
Lesser weever fish with its poisonous black dorsal fin.
We’ve also encountered several crabs including the edible crab (Cancer Pagurus), the flying crab (Liocarcinus holsatus), the toad crab (Hyas coarctatus) and the hermit crab (Pagurus prideaux) with the cloak anemone (Admasia carciniopados). The cloak anemone envelops
the hermit crab’s shell and increases the size of the shell. This means that
the crab does not need to change its shell as it grows.
Edible crab (Cancer Pagurus)
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Flying crab (Liocarcinus holsatus)
Toad crab (Hyas coarctatus)
Hermit crab (Pagurus prideaux) with the cloak anemone (Admasia carciniopados).
