Strand-line carnage

The patch strand-line has been a scene of carnage since the cold of last week and the storms of Friday 2nd March, with hundreds of thousands of large invertebrates and, presumably, many more smaller species washed ashore. Many were alive, but most were dead. Prominent amongst them were starfish and decapod crustaceans and we found three species of the former and twelve of the latter.

The beach from Old Hunstanton towards the cliffs, 3rd March 2018

Common Starfish, Asteria rubens, Holme, 3rd March 2018

Common Sun star, Crossaster papposus, Holme, 3rd March 2018

Serpent Brittle-star, Ophiura ophiura, Holme, 3rd March 2018

Underside

Upperside

Velvet Swimming-crab, Necora puber, Holme, 3rd March 2018

Harbour Crab, Liocarcinus depurator, Holme, 4th March 2018

Hairy Crab, Pilumnus hirtellus, Holme, 4th March 2018

Edible Crab, Cancer pagurus, Holme 4th March 2018

Pennant's Swimming-crab, Portumnus latipes, Holme, 5th March 2018

Masked Crab, Corystes cassivelaunus, Holme, 5th March 2018

Long-legged Spider Crab, Macropodia rostrata, Holme, 4th March 2018

Great Spider Crab, Hyas araneus, Holme, 4th March 2018

Lobster, Homarus gammarus, Holme, 4th March 2018

Squat Lobster, Galathea squamifera, Holme, 4th March 2018

Hermit Crab Pagurus bernhardus, Hunstanton, 3rd March 2018