05/11/2025
🦞 IT’S BONFIRE NIGHT! 🦞
The North Sea is full of colour, as the skies will be tonight. We thought this would be the perfect time to show off our most colourful native residents today. Read on to learn more about them! 🎆
Corkwing Wrasse
This beautiful wrasse could easily be mistaken for a tropical fish. The vivid colours are brightest on the males during breeding season. They don’t just look pretty though, they’re quite diligent builders! Males can be seen carrying seaweed to make a safe place for the females to lay their eggs. 🪸
Snakelocks Anemone
The purple-tipped green tentacles of this anemone are hard to miss. Even more so because their tentacles can’t be retracted. The green colouration comes from a symbiotic photosynthesising green algae. Don’t be fooled though! This anemone has stinging cells, just like their close relative, the jellyfish. 🪼
Common Sunstar
The common sunstar has more legs than “traditional” sea stars, with individuals having anywhere between 8 and 14. Colouration varies, but they are most commonly found with this bright red and orange pattern. You can see where they get their names! ☀️
Spiny Squat Lobster
This little fella loves to hide… which is a shame! Because, if you look closely, you can see brilliant electric blue detailing across its red carapace. Most of the time though, all you’ll see is its long hairy claws. 🦀
Cuckoo Wrasse
Similar to the corkwing wrasse, it is the males who have the brightest colours - exhibiting blue and yellow stripes over its head and body. But all cuckoo wrasse start as females. Known as protogynous hermaphrodites, individuals will change from female to male if there is a lack of males in the population. 🐠
Velvet Swimming Crab
These crabs may seem unassuming at first glance. The fine hairs on the back of their carapace often catch fine sediment, dulling their colour. But check out their legs and claws and you'll see a deep midnight blue. Even more striking though are their blood red eyes! 👀
Come and find these, and more colourful creatures in the Marine Discovery Centre Today!
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