Quick ID for common species found in
juvenile crustacean surveys
By Harriet Salomonsen
MOLLUSCS
Colus gracilis
Netted dog whelk
(Nassarius
reticulatus)
European
Sea lemon (Archidoris cowrie
pseudoargus)
(Trivia
monacha)
Sea hare (Aplysia
punctata)
Red whelk
(Neptunea antiqua)
Queen scallop
(Aequipecten
opercularis)
Arctic
cowrie
(Trivia
arctica)
Painted top
shell
(Calliostoma
spp.)
Common whelk
(Buccinum undatum)
Variagated
scallop
(Chlamys
varia)
SWIMMING CRABS:
The most common
Liocarcinus depurator
Even teeth
Rough carapace
Purple paddles
Liocarcinus holsatus
Longer middle tooth
Smooth carapace
Velvet swimmer
(Necora puber)
SQUAT LOBSTERS:
Spiny squat lobster (Galathea
strigosa)
Common squat
lobster (Galathea
squamifera)
Rugose squat lobster
(Munida rugosa)
SPIDER CRABS:
Hyas sp. – Often covered in epiphytes
Difficult to tell apart, look at the shape of the postorbital teeth!
Hyas coarctatus
Inachus sp.
Often covered in sponge
Hyas araneus
Macrapodia sp.
Often covered in seaweed
GADOIDS
Pollack (Pollachius pollachius)
Bottom jaw protruding. Often
golden/brown (sometimes blue/silver
markings) – NO BARBEL
Cod (Gadus morhua)
Whiting (merlangius merlangus)
Top jaw protruding. BARBEL v small often
absent.
Poor cod (Trisopterus minutus) &
Pouting/bib (Trisopterus luscus)
Bib:
- deep bodied
- top jaw slightly
protruding
- Dark spot at base of
pectoral fin
Top jaw protruding. Marbled/spotty
appearance – BARBEL: long
3 bearded rockling (Gaidropsarus
vulgaris)
X3 barbels on face
The 1st dorsal fin ends after the anal fin begins
Poor-cod:
- more streamlined
body than bib.
- lower jaw same as
top
- barbel small
The 1st dorsal fin ends where the anal fin begins
Dragonet spp.
Corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops)
Goldsinny wrasse (Ctenolabrus rupestris)
Sea scorpion (Taurulus bubalis)
White barbels
at corners of
mouth
Rock cook (Centrolabrus exoletus)
Tompot blenny
(Parablennius gattorugine)
Blue markings around eyes, dark band
by tail, small mouth
OTHER COMMON CRUSTACEA
Long-clawed porcelain crab
(Pisidia longicornis)
Hairy crab (Pilumnus hirtellus)
Common prawn
(Palaemon serratus)
7 spines on the dorsal
edge of the rostrum
The pink shrimp (Pandalus
montagui)