The Gun Rocks site lies in an area where there can be big swells and strong currents, as a result the area is full of life. Above the water level, grey seals can often be seen loafing on the rocks at low tide, but it is underwater where the real variety of life is located. The images below are not intended to form a comprehensive identification guide to Gun Rocks, but to wet the appetite of those who may be more into “fish and flowers” than rust and cannon.
The featured image on the header of this page is of an curled octopus (Eledone cirrhosa) one of which lives under a rock close to the cannon on Gun Rocks.
Phylum Mollusca – Sea shells, snails and slugs, but also includes clams:
A pair of Polycera quadrilineata nudibranches
Two Eubranchus ferrani nudibranches
Cowerie shell (Trivia spp), very hard to differentiate the Arctic and European species.
Grey top shell Gibbula cineraria on some kelp.
Two blue rayed limpets (Helcion pellucidum) sitting on some kelp.
Polycera quadriliniata with its back to me.
The orange club seaslug Limacia clavigera.
A sea slug or nudibranch called Coryphella browni.
Phylum Crustacea – crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside.