5 Responses to “What is This?”

1. David McAllister says:

   11 March 2010 at 17:27

   A new mystery object will follow soon.
2. David McAllister says:

   11 March 2010 at 17:26

   Sea Mouse – Aphrodite aculeate
   Well done Dave and Steph who got this right and Fay also knew what this was.

   Despite its appearance the sea mouse is actually a segmented worm belonging to the same phylum as earthworms.

   The oval body is covered in a double row of scales. These are covered in dense grey brown bristles which can look like mouse fur when it is washed up on a beach. The bristles along the side show blue, green and red iridescence.

   The sea mouse lives burrowed in sand and is occasionally found washed up on beaches, most frequently in late winter or early spring. It is predatory on other worms.
3. Dave Jones says:

   7 March 2010 at 14:24

   Hi,

   I think it is a sea-mouse (Aphrodita aculeata). It is actually a kind polychaete worm, like a rag-worm. They certainly are curious looking things. I’ve only seen it once before near St Andrews.

   Cheers,

   Dave and Steph
4. Fay says:

   2 March 2010 at 19:12

   Ah hah – haven’t seen these on Dornoch beach since 8.3.98 (I wrote it in my book)
5. Admin says:

   2 March 2010 at 11:36

   Ugly? Or what!