PORCUPINE MARINE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER

November 2001 Number 9

ISSN 1466-0369

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive Porcupine Marine Natural History Society

Newsletter

No. 9 November 2001

Hon. Treasurer MEMBERSHIP Jon Moore Ti Cara Executive Officer Point Lane Julia Nunn Cosheston Cherry Cottage Pembroke Dock 11 Ballyhaft Rd Pembrokeshire Newtonards SA72 4UN Co. Down BT 22 2AW 01646 683679 [email protected] [email protected] Porcupine MNHS welcomes new members- scientists, students, divers, naturalists and Hon. Editor lay people. We are an informal society Frances Dipper interested in marine natural history and 7 Rutland Green recording particularly in the North Atlantic Hilton and 'Porcupine Bight'. Members receive 3 Huntingdon newsletters a year which include Cambs proceedings from scientific meetings. PE28 9NT 01480 830507 Individual £10 Student £5 [email protected]

COUNCIL MEMBERS

Mike Bailey [email protected] Ian Killeen [email protected] Roger Bamber [email protected] Jon Moore [email protected] Susan Chambers [email protected] Julia Nunn [email protected] Frances Dipper [email protected] Ivor Rees [email protected] Frank Evans [email protected] Shelagh Smith [email protected] Judy Foster-Smith [email protected] Peter Tinsley [email protected] Nigel Grist [email protected] Annette Little [email protected] Bridget Betts (Loveday) [email protected]

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

CONTENTS

Editorial 1

Council Minutes 2

Porcupine meetings 3

Other meetings 4

Book Reviews 5-7

PORCUPINE PROBLEMS : Information Requests 8-10

PORCUPINE PIECES Estuaries and Climate Change. Roger Herbert 11-12

Recent observations of the desmaresti from the Solent. Roger Herbert 12-15

New records of amphipods & leptostracans from the Forth Sea area with notes on their parasites. Myles O’Reilly, Elaine Hamilton and Lee Heaney 15-24

The Porcupine Recording Scheme. Jon Moore 25

PAPERS FROM PORCUPINE 2001: Long-term Studies.

Oportunities for long-term studies – monitoring marine Special Areas of Conservation. Eleanor Murray 26-29

Long-term biological monitoring in the Great Ouse Estuary. Mike Bailey 29-33

Subtidal benthic surveys of the Wash in the 1990s. Seamus Whyte 33-37

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive EDITORIAL Request for photographs If anyone has any interesting, Apart from Christmas and your embarrassing or funny photos of wife/husband’s birthday/wedding Porcupine people, meetings or field anniversary, the most important date trips from the past, they would be in next year’s calendar has to be gratefully received as we would like to Porcupine 2001, our AGM and illustrate our proposed History of meeting in celebration of Porcupine’s Porcupine (both the publication and 25th anniversary. So put it in your diary the talk at Edinburgh). Please let the NOW and see P.3 for details. Editor know!

I am delighted that over the past few Request for Assistance months I have received responses to I would very much like to have an ‘Porcupine Pieces’ and ‘Information Assistant Editor! The job entails in Requests’ (More on Mantis Shrimps particular, chasing copy i.e chasing and Shrimp preys on unwary manuscripts from our annual meeting, fishermen) published in the July 2001 commissioning interesting articles, newsletter. I have also received an writing or requesting book reviews etc. unprecedented number of new This is a great way of making contacts observations and requests all of which and friends!! Please contact the Editor! are published here (see pp. 8-12). This is exactly what this Newsletter is all about so a big thank you to all who have taken the time to send in their material. These short articles and notes should be of interest to many Porcupines. Please keep them COPY DEADLINES coming!! Many of these observations also make very suitable material for Feb 1st for March/April issue inclusion in our Recording Scheme May 1st for July issue and will (when permission has been obtained from the authors) be included in the scheme.

Roger Herbert has contributed a fascinating and topical report on Estuaries and Climate change (see P.11). In it he reports a very unusual Remember! Your requests for sighting of a juvenile Sun-fish (Mola information and shared mola) seen at the head of the estuary observations can reach a wide audience as they are published both in in Newport Harbour. Perhaps YOU the newsletter and on our web site have made equally interesting observations. Let me know!

E-MAIL ADDRESSES A big thank you all those who have sent me their e-mail address. Web site links. If anyone has Hopefully I will soon have collated suggestions for useful links to our web these and put together a ‘Porcupine site, please send them to Anne Group’ list so that you can instantly Bunker. receive updates on meeting etc. If anyone else has not sent me their address or has changed their address, please let me know. www.pmnhs.org.uk

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 1

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive Summary of Minutes of the Council intertidal environment by Porcupine Meeting held on November 17th members. It was agreed that there 2001 at the Eden Bridge Club, should be another field meeting in Carlisle. 2002 with the same emphasis. The site and date would be determined by PRESENT: S Chambers, F Dipper, F the tide and access to a field centre. Evans, J Foster-Smith, J Moore, J Areas to be considered include North Nunn, I Rees, S Smith. Wales. J Nunn to make enquiries. CONFERENCE 2002: The APOLOGIES: R Bamber, M Bailey, A meeting is being held in Edinburgh on Bunker, B Betts (Loveday), A Little 14-16th March to mark the 25th anniversary of the society. The local ANNOUNCEMENTS: organiser, S Chambers, has several 1. A vote of thanks for S Smith for speakers. Publicity will be via the web organising the meeting and cooking a site, e mails to the membership, superb buffet lunch. Newsletter mailing and articles in other 2. David Heppell a founder member, newsletters. The field meeting on the now retired in Canada, is now morning of the 16th to Dunbar will be recovering from a serious illness and organised by S Smith. major surgery. It was agreed to send POSTER: There has been no him a get well greeting for his birthday progress on the poster. It is in the final this week via e-mail. stage of the design process and is FINANCIAL REPORT: Income dependant on available time of the since 1/1/01: £1705.87. Outgoings designer. Attempts will be made to ask since 1/1/01: £914.01 (newsletter No. her to complete the agreed lay-out or 9 expences still to come – ca. £420). to hand the project back to the The account is relatively healthy committee. The aim is to have the compared to last year. We have poster ready for the 2002 meeting. £2,607 in the current account as a result of a small profit from the last NEWSLETTER: It was agreed that the meeting and reduced costs for the next issue (to be published early Newsletter. December) will be the last before the WEB SITE: A request to March 2002 conference. Publication members for suggestions of good links dates will now be April, July and to other web sites will be included in November, with final copy dates being the next Newsletter. A section for one month earlier. 230 copies of the marine related questions will be next issue will be printed. It was posted on the web site in the near agreed that a maximum sum of £100 future. could be used to train the editor in RECORDING SCHEME: advanced use of Word. A general Currently there is no easy mechanism discussion re. obtaining fresh copy for observations to be sent to the took place. Porcupine Marine Recorder. J Moore proposed setting up an email message and circulating it to all potential recorders asking for interesting records and explaining why they are of value. The recording scheme will be advertised in other newsletters. FIELD MEETING 2001: The Dorset Field Meeting in conjunction with the Dorset Wildlife Trust was very successful because there was an element of interpretation of the

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 2

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

MEETINGS, MEETINGS, MEETINGS, MEETINGS, MEETINGS

the evenings and at week-ends. We PORCUPINE MEETINGS are able to take advantage of this and there will be an opportunity to see a rare archive Jacques Cousteau film for a small price. It is open to members of PORCUPINE 2002. THE PORCUPINE the public and all Porcupines and their MARINE NATURAL HISTORY guests will be welcome. SOCIETY ANNUAL CONFERENCE A conference dinner will be organised “Changes in Marine Biology over the in a local restaurant or hostelry for last 25 years” approx £20.

EDINBURGH, MARCH 14TH –15TH The registration fee which includes tea 2002 (plus Field Trip on 16th) and coffee will be £25.

The Porcupine Marine Natural History There is a wide range of B&B’s and Society was launched in the National hotels in Edinburgh. Accommodation Museums of Scotland 25 years ago information and a map will be sent with the aim of promoting marine following booking. Parking is available biology and having fun at the same in nearby car parks but these are time. expensive (approx £10 a day). There is a good bus service in the city and The 25th anniversary conference will the museum is 5 minutes walk from be held at the National Museums of the railway station. Scotland on Thursday the 14th and Friday the 15th March in the Lecture The field meeting to Dunbar is on Theatre and the field meeting will be Saturday 16th March. Low tide is at on the 16th March at Dunbar, a local 09.30 GMT therefore we would hope shore. to meet at Dunbar no later than 07.45. Presentations have been agreed on a wide range of subjects-from deep The first part of the meeting will be on water corals, mitten crabs, maerl, the rocky shore west of Dunbar - marine aquaculture, developments in sandstone rock platform, pools and the Firth of Forth to changes in marine overhangs. Those who wish to see law and the influence of new what has been washed up on the technologies such as IT, satellites, strandline can cross a bridge onto the acoustic and visual instruments as well extensive sands. Also the as numerical analysis techniques. brackish/freshwater river and lagoons There will also be a short overview of can be visited. From Dunbar, 10mins the history of Porcupine and a look at travel by car and 15mins walk leads to some interesting images of various the Tynignhame saltmarsh, the type collecting sites around the world. locality of Limapontia depressa Kevan, 1934 and other saltmarsh . The venue for the meeting is also A pub lunch will be arranged. known as Lumière, a Film Theatre, in Further details will be provided to those who wish to parcipitate.

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 3

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

OTHER MEETINGS

25-29 November. Baltic Sea Science 8-12th July 2002. Estuarine and Congress 2001. Past Present and Lagoon Fish and Fisheries. Fisheries Future a joint venture. Stockholm, Society of British Isles Annual Sweden. Contact [email protected] International Symposium. University of Hull. www.hull.ac.uk/iecs 4-5 December. Atlantic Frontier Environmental Network (AFEN). Managing the Resources of the Atlantic Margin – A Sustainable Conference and Meetings Future? Edinburgh Conference Proceedings Centre, Heriot Watt University. Contact: Bob Earll on 01531 890415; Coastal Futures 2001. Proceedings or [email protected] of Coastal Management for Sustainability 2001 Review and Future 8th December. Reef Conservation UK Trends. (RCUK) 2001. Zoological Society, Available from: CMS, Candle Cottage, London Zoo. The programme of Kempley, Glos. GL18 2BU. Price £35 presentations for the Reef (includes CD ROM) Conservation UK meeting on 8th December has now been finalised. The titles of these presentations can now be found on the updated website www.rcuk.org.uk along with details of places to stay while at the meeting and a second workshop on the 9th, "Corals in aquaria".

Jan 23-24th 2002. Coastal Futures 2002. review and Future Trends. To be held at: University of London, SOAS, Russel Square. Coastal Management for Sustainability. Bob Earll: 01531 890415. www.coastms.co.uk

April 2002. Irish Sea Coastlines – Isle of Man. ECSA Local Meeting, theme: Estuaries and coastal waters of the Isle of Man and adjacent areas. Contact: andrew.wither@environment- agency.gov.uk or Tel: 01925 653999

13-15th June 2002. Info’Coast 2. 2nd European Symposium on Knowledge and Information for the Coastal Zone. Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands. (postponed from October 2001). [email protected] +44 223 667050.

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 4

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

The sun appears to go round the REVIEWS earth every day as anyone can see; yet it is not so. Equally, if we artificially hatch lots of haddock or plaice eggs and return them to the sea we will increase the numbers of adult haddock or plaice; again not true, yet Smith tells us this practice persisted for half a century or more at considerable expense, until someone worked out that the wild Georges Bank haddock alone produce eighteen million million eggs a year unaided, which puts it in perspective. Scaling fisheries, The Science of Measuring the Effects of Fishing, The term "overfishing" originated in 1855-1955. Tim D. Smith. (Cambridge University Press, 1994). the mid nineteenth century, demanding consequent restrictive Review by Frank Evans legislation. Regrettably the heroic Thomas Henry Huxley opposed Almost since the Stone Age marine this, believing fish stocks were zoology has been divided into boundless. His view was quoted general research (academic) and extensively for many years by fisheries research (mathematical). those opposed to regulation but his For years in this country the two caveat, "given the present mode of disciplines even boasted their own fishing", was omitted. Indeed, if funding and their own laboratories, anyone today went to sea with Plymouth and Lowestoft in grandfather's equipment he would England, Millport and Aberdeen in be bankrupt in a week. Scotland. But beneath the skin we are all brothers with the same Early concepts of population biological background, and Tim parameters dwelt on migration, Smith's book tells us how fellow predation, pollution and overfishing. zoologists have fared under the To investigate migration the pressure of applied research since tagging of fish was introduced. This G. O. Sars, was asked in 1864 to produced a nasty shock for the enquire about the fluctuating taggers. At its commencement in catches of cod in that country. Sars 1905 twenty per cent of the tagged was the renowned author of the plaice were recaptured multi-volume Account of the within a year and not the one or Crustacea of . Fisheries two per cent expected. Plaice research was thus launched and migration was elucidated but the continues doggedly to this day. by-catch yield of this experiment This is partly because it has never was that the plaice shoals were really got to windward of its seen to be far from limitless. Sixty opponents, the politicians and the or seventy per cent annual catch of fishermen, who together pursue some stocks were later recorded. different and less noble objectives.

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 5

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive The demographic problem of age on by Buchanan-Wollaston, and numbers was next addressed. sampling from Lowestoft shortly Since commercial fish are seasonal before the 1914 war. Again we are breeders size distribution is dealing with vast numbers, some discontinuous and from successive 4x1012 eggs, referring to twenty size clusters year classes were million spawning female plaice in deduced. This proved to be rough, the southern North Sea. The ready and regional but fortunately method has proved surprisingly scale and otolith dating soon came convincing. along to give precision. At this point arose one of the several bitter A thread running through all these disagreements between fisheries investigations was the International experts that have decorated the Council for the Exploration of the progress of the science. Although Sea (ICES), formed in 1900. It was the scales on both laboratory bred something of a misnomer, being and farmed fish in the shape of almost entirely concerned with carp show clear annual rings European waters; the US was a D'Arcy Thompson of St. Andrew's member for only four years, University at Dundee refused to withdrawing in 1916. Throughout accept the findings of Johan Hjort its life ICES has organised that this was so. He in fact believed meetings between nations, that, for instance, all the herring in scientists and the industry, has a shoal were of the same age. produced numerous publications Smith does not mention the and has been immensely busy and appearance of deformed rings at a useful. But throughout the period particular year, 1904 being a of industrialised fishing another and famous case in the Norwegian darker thread has run, apparent in herring, which can be followed in a ICES and elsewhere. According to population through later years and Smith, whenever distasteful would appear to give conclusive proposals based on scientific evidence of annual increase in ring calculations appear the industry count. The dispute festered for a and governments adopt their usual generation until, after the battle had delaying tactic of sending the been won and it had ceased to scientists back to undertake more matter, D'Arcy finally submitted. To analysis. What I am afraid he does this day "port samplers" at major not say is that short term fishing ports measure market fish commercial and state interests and collect scales and otoliths for sometimes influence scientists as analysis. well as governments and we see fisheries researchers placing Meanwhile the estimate of fish national advantage before scientific numbers was approached from a probity, usually by denying different and quite improbable overfishing by fleets of their own direction. While obviously the fish flag. Examples not quoted by in the sea cannot be counted Smith include the North Sea directly it is possible to count their herring disaster and now perhaps eggs (see above for haddock). the threatened sand eel population, Hensen had begun this work in the used to feed farm-bred . nineteenth century with his own design of egg net but it was carried

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 6

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive Often when proper and prolonged Lotka, author of Elements of warnings are given by scientist they Physical Biology, who claimed are simply ignored. The Californian priority for the formulation, hence sardine fishery, despite ample the double-barrelled name. By now notice, crashed in 1952. The early we are into the logistic curve, course of its decline may be optimum catch, recruits and instructively followed in that notable spawners and other worthy topics. work, Cannery Row, by John Smith devotes a substantial section Steinbeck. Interestingly, around the to Michael Graham's "Great Law of time of the demise of this fishery Fishing" but oddly does not quote and only shortly before the ending it. It is simply stated: Fisheries that of herring fishing in the North Sea I are unlimited become unprofitable. was told by C. F. Hickling, Director For evidence of its truth look of Colonial Fisheries, while around you. discussing the flying-fish fishery of Barbados that there was no record The book ends at approximately anywhere in the world of a pelagic Beverton and Holt's majestic fishery being overfished. Even publication: On the dynamics of experts can be mistaken. exploited fish populations which appeared in 1957. Since then its Both world wars gave a practical massive central equation example of the "Great Fishing expressing yield per recruit has Experiment", showing how fish been reduced to spreadsheet stocks can recover when the dimensions and even pressure of fishing is reduced. As undergraduates can vary Smith notes, both examples were parameters and watch the result at totally ignored by the industry. the touch of a few keys. But for all our hundred and fifty years of An object of fishery research is to experience we are still not make predictions of the future size completely in command of the fish of the fish stock. This was notably stock data. This year Iceland undertaken for the Yarmouth discovered to its dismay that its herring by W. C. Hodgson. fisheries calculations were mistake Surprisingly it was he who also and that it had many fewer cod in worked out the precise relationship its waters than had been supposed. between the autumn herring shoals and the phases of the moon. Much work remains to be done. Or Surprising because it is the sort of would it have been all the same if practical observation that the we had never bothered, if we had fishing skippers might have made eschewed regulation and left the but they did so only roughly. seas fished-out as people and countries took their profits and The last part of Smith's book is moved on? It has happened in any rather mathematical but retains its case with herring, cod, whales, historic objective. For instance the sardines, mackerel, anchovetta and Von Bertalanffy and Lotka-Volterra other species, with more to come. equations are discussed (Reader, have you forgotten?) but we also learn about Signor Vito Volterra, mathematician, and Mr. A. J.

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 7

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive have been found to be present on all PORCUPINE PROBLEMS collections from the Fleet populations Information requests (July to September). Colonies of P. japonica tend to be densely packed and have a fluorescent yellow tinge in life. The zooids are opaque with a fine, dusty surface texture. This compares with the native P. listeri which lacks terminal buds and has a rather loose arrangement of zooids. In life the zooids of P. listeri are transparent with the structure of the

branchial sac clearly distinguishable through the smooth test. Zooids have Information request 1. a slight bluish tinge. Perophora japonica – an Alien Tunicate Recorded on the English Any records of suspected P. japonica Channel Coast: A Request for would be received with interest. Records Please send your observations to either [email protected] or Lin Baldock, 24 Martel Close, [email protected]. With two Broadmayne, Dorchester DT2 8PL records of apparently well-established populations at separate localities on John Bishop, Marine Biological the south coast of England, it would Association of the United Kingdom, not be surprising to find this species at The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, other similar sites in the region. PL1 2PB. Monniot, C. & Monniot, F., (1985). The alien tunicate Perophora japonica Apparition de l'ascidie Perophora Oka, 1927 has recently been reported japonica sur les côtes et dans les ports from two locations on the English de la Manche. Compte Rendu de la Channel coast: since 1999 from a Société de Biogéographie, 61, 111– marina in Plymouth Sound, Devon 116. (Nishikawa et al., 2000) and also from the Fleet Lagoon, Dorset in 2001. Nishikawa, T., Bishop, J.D.D. & This species is a native of the Far East Sommerfeldt, A.D., (2000). and has been recorded from north- Occurrence of the alien ascidian west France in the 1980’s (Monniot & Perophora japonica at Plymouth. Monniot, 1985). In the Fleet P. Journal of the Marine Biological japonica can cover up to 10% of Association of the United Kingdom available substrate over a significant (N.S.), 80, 955-956. area. For photographs of this alien ascidian see the species information pages of the MARLIN website at Information request 2. www.marlin.ac.uk. Albino anemones and boring sponges. Information request from: P. japonica can be distinguished from the only native British species of this Jane Lilley, Lance’s Cottage, Parkgate , Perophora listeri Forbes, by the Rd., Newdigate, Surrey RH5 5DY. presence of distinctive bright yellow star-shaped terminal buds in the former species. These terminal buds 1: Do you get 'albino' versions of sea can be very striking in colonies in the anemones? In Lyme Bay, Dorset last field at some times of year and to date August I saw a group of three perfectly normal Aiptasia mutabilis, two large

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 8

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive and one small, with another small outcrop, band of mixed weeds down to individual which looked identical about 6m then sand among the except that it was a rather translucent moorings - max depth on high water white. It was not nearly as white as 12 m). Nests tend to be built on top of Sagartia elegans or Actinothoe a rock or, quite often here, on a sphyrodeta would be, and the mooring block on the sand but close to morphology was wrong for either of the edge of the kelp line. The nest is a those species; it appeared to be an gentle dome shape with a hollow on ordinary Aiptasia but without the usual one side, made of crinkly weed. All brown pigmentation. Can anyone seem to be decorated with shingle that comment? the fish scoops up with its mouth and sprays over the nest. The nests aren't 2: The boring sponge Cliona celata built among the weeds or in a crevice sometimes appears to become in a rock like those of the corkwing dormant in late summer. The osculae wrasse. Twice I've observed one fish and papillae close and apparently building two nests at a time, about 5 or become sealed over, and the whole 6m apart. I don't know if the nest is surface looks as if it is covered with a built by the male or the female. I thick skin which blurs the details; it haven't seen any courtship behaviour may become discoloured. Usually the or mating but the nest builder does whole sponge is involved, although guard his construction, especially from where one section of a sponge is people with cameras! I have plenty of continually brushed by algae, it may video footage of the fish and the nest become dormant while the rest and would be interested to know remains active. Eventually what other observations have been the sponge becomes active again, made of this fish. (It definitely isn't a initially in one area where a few corkwing wrasse - no-where near as papillae emerge and one or two small colourful but a similar size and shape.) osculae open within the blurred craters where larger old ones were sealed off. Other observations: Trigger fish - seen One specimen I saw this year had in the same bay on 17th & 18th been covered with a thick layer of silt August. (Two caught by angler from which became consolidated while the the end of the harbour wall a day sponge was still active (part of the later!) A group of six observed, also solidified silt was perforated where two who seemed very much a pair. papillae had opened through it); the silt Again, video footage available. We've layer was now breaking away, and had a good year for basking shark the dormant sponge inside had shrunk sightings. significantly, leaving a gap of about 1cm. Can anyone confirm what is going on or fill in more details? Information request reply Reply to ‘Shrimp preys on unwary fishermen’ in July 2001 newsletter Information request 3. from: Baillon's wrasse: Observations and request for information from: Dr P. J. Somerfield, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth Sue Daly, Charleston Cottage, Rue PL1 3DH Rouge, CUL, St. Lawrence, Jersey, Channel Islands, JE3 1NP I've just been reading my Porcupine Pieces. You refer to an article from Nest building observed from 2nd May January 1999 stating that 'Rissoides to 14th June in Bouley Bay on NE desmaresti is now classified as a coast of Jersey ( a gently sloping bay British native'. You ask how long it bound by harbour wall and rocky has been here (i.e. in Britain), and

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 9

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive whether it has been here long enough to be considered a 'native'. A couple of notes. I would have thought that a species should be considered as a native if, and only if, it arrives in a region under its own steam and completely independent of Man. How long it has been there is not the issue. Rabbits have been on the British mainland for a long time, but some would still consider then to be a (highly successful) introduced species. How long a natural immigrant has to live and reproduce in a new region before it may be considered a 'naturalised' native is another issue. Semantics aside, back to the shrimps. A quick squint at the Plymouth Marine Fauna 3rd edition, 1957, shows several records (as Squilla desmaresti) of adults, mainly from deeper water off Plymouth but including an intertidal record from Salcombe, going back to 1900. Larvae are also recorded, suggesting a healthy breeding population. My observation would be that these animals have probably always been around, but we don't necessarily know their exact habitat requirements and therefore have not sampled them effectively.

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 10

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive caught around the Isle of Wight, and in PORCUPINE PIECES the past two years has been captured towards the upper reaches of the Medina Estuary. In August of last year, a remarkable observation was that of a Estuaries and Climate Change juvenile Sun-fish (Mola mola) seen at the head of the estuary in Newport Roger Herbert Harbour. The southern nudibranchs Aeolidiella alderi and Catriona gymnota have both been recorded above the Folly Reach of the Medina where the mean summer salinity is 30- o Most studies related to the ecological 32 /oo. effects of climate change on the marine environment of the NE Atlantic This past winter (2000-2001) has been have been concerned with species the wettest on record, and on the and communities on rocky shores, south coast rainfall has been above plankton and fisheries (Southward, average during the last few winters. 1991; Southward et al., 1988,1995). On the Medina there has been The effects upon estuarine considerable soil erosion in the upper ecosystems have so far been given parts of the catchment where there is relatively little attention. Yet the arable farming on sandy soils. This combination of higher temperatures, has caused high estuarine turbidity drier summers, wetter winters and and deposition of sandy silt upon greater storm frequency could mudflats. In the past 5 years, these potentially have a major impact on more sandy sediments have been species distribution and abundance. colonised by the lugworm Arenicola Possible effects are illustrated with marina. The species was previously some casual (non-quantitative) very rare or absent in the upper observations from the Medina Estuary estuary and yet now is abundant in (Isle of Wight) over the past decade. many areas. So far, the populations of nereid polychaetes appear to be Following the warm and dry summers unaffected, yet changes in the of 1989 and 1990, there was evidence abundance and type of bird prey items of more marine species reaching the in some estuaries could have upper reaches of the estuary. During implications for their designation as these years, and in subsequent warm special protection areas (SPA), should summers of 1995 and 1997, the bird distributions alter. estuary had above average salinity. A greater variety of fish, that has The heavy rainfall has resulted in a included Dragonet (Callionymus lyra), higher frequency of storm-water Shore Rockling (Gaidropsarus discharges into the estuary, which mediterraneus) and Garfish (Belone combined with high summer belone), has been noticeable in the temperatures could cause upper reaches. The anemone Actinia eutrophication problems. Certainly, equina, periwinkle Littorina obtusata, there is local concern about the and the alga Ascophyllum nodosum greater cover and biomass of appear to have penetrated higher up Enteromorpha on mudflats on the the estuary towards Newport. Medina and other estuaries on the Island. As observed elsewhere along the coast, the frequency of southern I would be interested to hear of any species has increased. Gilthead similar observations from other Bream (Sparus aurata), a rare fish estuaries. until the 1990s, is now frequently

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 11

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive observations it would appear that the Solent has been, and still is, a References stronghold for the species along the south coast of England. Indeed Bell Southward, A.J. (1991). Forty years of (1853) alludes to Bembridge on the changes in species composition and Isle of Wight as one of the few places population density of barnacles on a in Britain at which the species may be rocky shore near Plymouth. J. Mar found. The review by Clark (1985) was Biol. Ass UK., 71 : 445-513. prompted by the discovery of two adults and a juvenile caught in a Southward, A.J., Boalch,G.T. & dredge sample in Stanswood Bay near Maddock, L. (1988). Fluctuations in the mouth of Southampton Water in the herring and pilchard fisheries of 1984. Since then, there have been Devon and Cornwall linked to change several records of animals caught by in climate since the 16th Century. fishermen dredging for oysters in the J.Mar.Bio.Ass.UK., 68:423-445. Solent. These recent observations are listed below plus four additional Southward, A.J., Hawkins, S.J. & historical records obtained from local Burrows, M.T. (1995). Seventy years literature and not cited by Clark observations of changes in distribution (1985). I have also included records and abundance of zooplankton and and observations by Jenny Mallinson intertidal organisms in the western reported in the last issue of PN. in relation to rising sea temperature. J. therm. Biol., 20 A female collected from Osborne Bay No. 1. :127-155. on November 11th 1994 was taken back to the Medina Valley Field Centre and placed in a small, unheated, aquarium. Over the next few days it Recent observations of the Mantis had made a number of separate Shrimp Rissoides desmaresti burrows into the pea gravel. On 30th from the Solent. November it was observed excavating a new burrow in a corner of the tank, a Roger J.H. Herbert task that took about 30 minutes, after (contact as above) which it rested within the burrow with head facing outwards. By the morning Further to recent reports of mantis of December 1st it had abandoned the shrimps in PN, here is an update on corner burrow and had tunnelled records from the Solent region. beneath a rock placed in the middle of the aquarium. Here it remained, The status and distribution of making a third entrance on 8th Rissoides desmaresti (as Meiosquilla) December, almost totally undermining in the NE Atlantic was reviewed in the the rock. The survived until 7th Porcupine Newsletter by Clark (1985). March 1995 and despite offering It is essentially a southern species that various live shrimps and small fish it is common in the Mediterranean but did not appear to eat. has been collected from the English Channel and southern North Sea. In Upon removal of the dead animal from 1999 a population was discovered the tank, a very small clump of spawn east of the St Tudwal's Islands in was noticed attached to some pea Tremadog Bay, North Wales (Ramsay gravel. About 500 pale orange & Holt, 2001). This is the currently the coloured eggs were retained within a most northerly population, although loose mass. Twelve of the eggs were larvae have been collected near the measured under the microscope using Isle of Man (Bruce et al., 1963). From a micrometer eye-piece. The mean the historical records and recent diameter of these newly laid eggs was

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 12

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive found to be 0.53mm (SD = 0.019mm). Wight .nat. Hist. archaeol. Soc., 2 The egg mass was placed in a smaller (8):700. aerated tank of clean seawater and one week later the mean egg diameter Bell, T. (1844-1852). A History of the had increased to 0.66mm. Cleavage British Stalk-Eyed Crustacea. lxii + had occurred but further development 386pp. London. of the brood was not observed. Mauchline (1984) states that the Bruce, J.R., Coleman, J.S. & Jones, female remains within the burrow to N.S. (1963). Marine Fauna of the Isle nurse the loose mass of eggs, of Man. UK: Liverpool. University frequently turning it over and removing Press. debris from the surface of the eggs. She leaves the egg mass at Clark, P.F. (1985). The occurrence of the back of the burrow. Meiosquilla desmaresti (Risso, 1816) (CRUSTACEA: STOMATOPODA) in According to local fishermen the the North-East Atlantic. Porcupine frequency of capture has certainly Newsletter, 3: 90-93. increased over the past decade and it ` would appear that the population is Du Boulay, E. (1911). Bembridge Past rising - perhaps in response to higher and Present. Bembridge Sailing Club. sea temperatures. From the little Reprinted by Crossprint Newport, habitat data available (reviewed by 1986. Clark, 1985) there appears to be some association of Rissoides with Zostera Goodall, J. M. (1923). Natural History beds. Although there has been some Notes. Proc. Isle. Wight. nat. Hist. decline in Zostera in the Solent over archaeol. Soc.1 (4):200. past years (Tubbs 1983) there remains a narrow zone, in places 100m wide, Herbert, R.J.H. (1994). Isle of Wight along the north east shores of the Isle Marine Biological Report 1992. Proc. of Wight between East Cowes and Isle. Wight. nat. Hist. archaeol. Soc., Bembridge where most of the recent 12 : 77-80. observations have occurred. Many of the observations have been from Herbert, R.J.H. (1997). Isle of Wight oyster fishermen who operate during Marine Biological Reports 1993-1995. the winter months. It would be Proc. Isle. Wight. nat. Hist. archaeol. interesting to determine whether the Soc., 13 : 83-89. species is as abundant during the summer. Although the majority of the Morey (ed.) (1909) A Natural History of animals recorded have been collected the Isle of Wight. Newport & London. close inshore, the general response from fishermen is that the species is Ramsay, K. & Holt, R.H.F. (2001) widespread in the Solent. Mantis shrimps Rissoides desmaresti in Tremadog Bay, North Wales. Acknowledgements J.Mar.Biol.Ass.U.K. 81:695-696. Thanks to Jenny Mallinson and Pitra Widianwari for their observations; Tubbs,C.R. & Tubbs, J.M.(1983). The fishermen Alec Cokes and Hilton distribution of Zostera and its Matthews for collecting and returning exploitation by wildfowl in the Solent specimens, and to Paul Blake curator and southern England. Aquatic of the Fort Victoria Marine Aquarium. Botany. 15 : 223-239.

References Adams, L.E. (1937). Natural History & Archaeological Notes. Proc. Isle.

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 13

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive Date Location Abundance & Size Notes Reference 1904 Yaverland, Isle of Washed up on beach. Morey (ed.) Wight (also Ryde “a good many” Mixed with seaweed and 1909 & St.Helens) mostly alive. Specimens not infrequently taken between Ryde & St.Helens.

1906 Bembridge, Isle of “fairly large number” Caught in shrimp net. “No- Du Boulay Wight. one has ever seen these (1911) before in the locality” p73-74

14/10/1923 Bembridge, Isle of 1 individual Amongst prawns - “a good Goodall Wight. specimen” (1923)

7/1937 Barton Rocks 1 individual Captured in a prawn pot Adams Woodside, IOW (1937)

1985 Off Norris Castle, Several large Caught in oyster dredge Herbert East Cowes, IOW. individuals close inshore in mud near (1994) rocks 16/11/1992 Off Kings Quay 1 individual 7.5 cm long Caught in oyster dredge. Herbert IOW, ‘inside Substrate mud with some (1994) Wreck Bouy’ gravel and much Crepidula. Depth 5m

21/4/1993 Stanswood Bay 7.5 cm long Caught in oyster dredge at Herbert Southampton depth 8m. Mud with some (1997) Water. gravel, Cobbles and 1 individual Crepidula.

30/4/1993 Stanswood Bay, 1 individual Caught in oyster dredge. Herbert Southampton Survived in Fort Victoria (1997) Water. Marine Aquarium till August “then disappeared!” Ate shell-less hermit crabs placed before it.

12/11/1993 Osborne Bay, Isle 3 caught including 1 Caught in oyster dredge in Herbert of Wight male. shallow water (1997)

1- Between Osborne 20 caught over ten days Caught in oyster dredge Herbert 10/11/1994 Bay and Kings including 1 female (1997) Quay, IOW. 8.2cm long.. 11/11/1994 Osborne Bay, 5 in total. Females Caught in oyster dredge Herbert IOW. 7.1cm; 7cm; 7.5cm; (1997) 9.7cm. Male 8.4cm. 11/1995 Osborne Bay, Several individuals Caught in oyster dredge at H.Matthews IOW. slack water. pers.comm. 5/8/1996 Off Hurst Spit Larva caught in Length of Larva 0.6cm M.Sheader plankton haul over silty pers.comm sand, Water depth 11m. 24/3/1997 Off Ryde, IOW 2 individuals, one in Sand & gravel. 3 & 9 phi P.Widianwari 01o07.00'W;50o44. each grab sample grain size dominant pers.comm. 55'N fractions. Mean water depth 14m. April 2000 Bouldnor, IOW 1 individual In pool amongst Zostera at G.Berkowitz LWS pers.comm. 18/10/00 Between Reach & caught in small beam Kept in aquarium in deep J. Mallinson Coronation Buoys, trawl with mud, shell, (6”) mud, new burrows pers.comm.

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 14

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive Southampton Crepidula and indicate it is still alive, rarely Water filamentous red algae in seen. Catches and eats 8m. small Crangon

30/4/01 Off Cashot 1 individual Caught in Otter Trawl. Kept J. Mallinson in aquarium in shallow sand pers.comm. for 4 months. 5/8/01 Off Ryde, IOW 1 Individual in grab Sand & Gravel. Mean water P.Widianwari 01o07.00'W;50o44. sample depth 14m pers.comm. 55'N

New Records of Amphipods and shore “shrimps” (Gammarus spp.) and Leptostracans from the Forth Sea beach “sandhoppers” (Talitrus spp.) Area, with notes on their copepod but includes many additional species parasites (: within the marine realm. There are Nicothoidae) four sub-orders; , Caprellidea, Hyperiidea, and Myles O’Reilly*, Elaine Hamilton, & Ingolfiellidea. The Caprellidea Lee Heaney (skeleton shrimps) contains twelve British species which generally lead an Scottish Environment Protection epifaunal existence clambering over Agency*South West Area, 5 Redwood rocks, stones and hydroids, although Crescent, Peel Park, East Kilbride G74 they do also turn up in sediment grab 5PP. e-mail: [email protected] samples. linearis (Linnaeus,

1767), Pariambus typicus (Kroyer,

1844), and Phtisica marina Slabber, Introduction 1769, were regularly recovered at both In 1986 the Forth River Purification disposal grounds while Pseudoprotella Board (FRPB) commenced monitoring phasma (Montagu, 1804) also of Lothian Region Council sewage occurred at Bell Rock. An identification disposal grounds, 17.5km north of St. key to British caprellids is provide by Abbs Head and 13.5km east of Bell Harrison (1944). The only other Rock, in the Forth Sea area. Part of caprellid species ever identified in the programme included establishing a FRPB surveys is Caprella tuberculata reference collection of benthic Bate & Westwood, 1868, of which a invertebrates as an aid to gauging single female was collected at Hound impact on the biodiversity of benthic Point in 1996. The Hyperiidea fauna. Between 1986 and 1989 a contains around 50 British species all variety of were recovered of which are planktonic. Although which included species of amphipods these would not be expected in and leptostracans new to the Forth benthic samples, a number of Sea area. In view of the current Parathemisto gaudichaudi (Guerin- interest in biodiversity, details of the Meneville, 1825) were recovered at St. newly recorded species are now Abbs - presumably derived from sea- provided, along with notes on other water hoses used to sieve the species present from the same sediment samples. The Cyamidea families and any observed incidences (whale lice) are all ectoparasites of of parasitism by . cetaceans. Some recent Forth Sea

area records from stranded whales are Amphipods provided by O’Reilly (1998). The The Order comprises Ingolfiellidea is represented by a single small crustaceans such as the familiar British species which burrows in

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 15

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive coarse sediments and is restricted to (Gotto, 1984). A number of the English Channel. amphipods from British waters are infested by Sphaeronella species The Gammaridea is the largest which inhabit the brood pouch of amphipod sub-order and contains over females. They are generally 270 British species most of which overlooked on account of their small occur in marine waters. The British size and published records are few Gammarideans were studied in detail and far between (Green, 1958; Gotto in a monograph by Lincoln (1979) & McGrath, 1980; Moore, 1984a; which has become the standard work Moore & Wong, 1996; O’Reilly & for their identification. The amphipods Geddes, 2000). The records of these from the Clyde Sea area were parasites in the amphipods Ampelisca reviewed by Moore (1984a). Only tenuicornis Lilljeborg, 1855, gammaridean amphipods are neapolitanus Della Valle, discussed further here. A total of 38 1893, Perioculodes longimanus (Bate gammaridean amphipods new to the & Westwood, 1868) and Corophium Forth Sea area were recorded at the crassicorne Bruzelius, 1859, from the disposal grounds and included both Forth Sea area were briefly cited in common species and rare ones. Costello & Myers (1989) and included Other benthic faunal studies (Parker, in Gotto (1993) under “south-east 1984; Dewarumez, et al.1992) have Scotland” but further details are also revealed amphipods new to their provided here along with an additional respective areas indicating that much record from Bathyporeia pelagica remains to be learned regarding local (Bate, 1856). inventories of biodiversity. The amphipods new to the Forth Sea area Sampling include the first British record of The benthic surveys were carried out Paradulichia typica Boeck, 1870, and at St. Abbs in June 1986, ‘87, ‘88, & in addition two rare species; Metopa ‘89 and at Bell Rock in Jan. & Nov.‘87, robusta Sars, 1892, which had been and April & Oct.‘89. At St. Abbs the recorded from the Forth by Scott same eleven stations were sampled (1906) but seems to have been each year and at Bell Rock the same overlooked by Lincoln (1979), and nine stations (Figure 1). The grabbing Acanthonotozoma serratum (Fabricius, stations lie within a radius of 2 nautical 1780) first recorded in the UK from miles of the disposal ground centres St.Abbs, by Moore (1984b). (St.Abbs Stn.13 - 56 o04.50’N, 02o07.27’W, and Bell Rock Stn.13 - 56 Leptostracans and nicothoid o25.00’N, 02o10.00’W). Trawls were copepods carried out at both stn.13’s and a The Order comprises single control station, “C”, just outside small marine crustaceans superficially the Bell Rock disposal area. The similar in appearance to brine shrimps. depths at both disposal grounds varied Four species are cited from “British” between 50 - 60m. At each grabbing waters by Mauchline (1984) but only station 2 van Veen grabs (0.1m2) of one of these is known from waters less sediment were collected and sieved on than 200m deep. The of 0.5mm mesh. All material was fixed leptostracans from the European shelf on site with formalin prior to was revised by Dahl (1985) with the identification in the laboratory. recognition of additional British species. Notes on new amphipods and leptostracans and parasitic The Nicotoidae is a family of minute copepods copepods which parasitise other The order below follows Lincoln crustaceans including amphipods (1979), though the nomenclature has (Gotto, 1993) and also leptostracans been updated to that in Howson &

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 16

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive Picton (1997). For brevity the full the copepod, Sphaeronella longipes authorities and dates are only provided Hansen, 1897, in their brood pouch. In for the species new to the area. Only each case a single juvenile female was families which include species new to observed. Two A. brevicornis from Bell the Forth Sea area are discussed. The Rock (stn.9, Jan.’87 and stn.9 Apr.’89) were hosts to immature “pupal stages” of original paper contained notes on the Sphaeronella copepods. new species which included, for each survey (St Abbs and Bell Rock), the Family Acanthonotozomatidae dates collected, the total number of Acanthonotozoma serratum (Fabricius, specimens observed, along with the 1780) [see Figure 2a ]Bell Rock - Jan.’87 station numbers if recorded at four or - 1 female (6mm long) trawled at stn.13. fewer stations, or, if found at more The specimen is deposited in the National than four stations, the total number of Museum of Scotland (Registration No. specimens and the number of stations NMSZ 2001.012.1) at which they were observed. The full The only British record of this arctic species comprised two specimens paper with this information is available collected by a diver at Coldringham Bay, from the author or from the Hon. Editor near St. Abbs (Moore 1984a). In view of and can be sent as a e-mail its rarity the new record is mentioned here. attachment). The genus was reviewed by Just (1978) who also included notes and figures of Order: AMPHIPODA copepod parasites. Sub-order: GAMMARIDEA Family Family Lysianassidae Amphilochus neapolitanus Della Valle, Acidostoma obesum (Bate & Westwood, 1893. St. Abbs & Bell Rock. 1861). Bell Rock This is regarded as a Mediterranean Euonyx chelatus Norman, 1867. Bell species at the northern limit of its Rock. distribution. Parker (1984) claimed the most northerly British record from Belfast A family of robust amphipods, many of Lough. However, Sheader (1983) cited a which have a peculiar hirsute gnathopod 2 single specimen collected from Blyth on superficially resembling a “cat’s paw”. the Northumberland coast in 1952. Acidostoma nodiferum (=A .sarsi in Although Sheader considered this record Lincoln) , Hippomedon denticulatus, and questionable the present finds from the Tryphosites longipes also occurred at St. Forth Sea area suggest A. neapolitanus Abbs, while at Bell Rock A. nodiferum, H. may be widespread in the North Sea. In denticulatus, Lepidopecreum longicorne, fact, it has since been found even further Orchomene nanus, and Scopelocheiros north in the Gullmarfjord in western hopei were observed. Sweden (Buhl-Jensen & Fossa, 1991). One of the amphipods collected at Bell Family Ampeliscidae Rock, stn.11, Nov.’87 contained a mature Ampelisca diadema (Costa, 1853). St. female and 2 male copepods in its brood Abbs & Bell Rock pouch, tentatively identified as Ampelisca tenuicornis Lilljeborg, 1855. St. Sphaeronella amphilochii Hansen, 1897. Abbs & Bell Rock Ampelisca typica (Bate, 1856). Bell Rock Amphilochids are small amphipods and identification requires careful examination The genus Ampelisca was reviewed by of the gnathopods. Gitana sarsi, Dauvin & Bellan-Santini (1988). These are Paramphilochoides odontonyx and generally large amphipods, strongly Amphilochus manudens were recorded at laterally compressed, with distinct cuticular both St. Abbs and Bell Rock. lens eyes. A. brevicornis and A. macrocephala were both common at St. Family Stenothoidae Abbs and Bell Rock but A. tenuicornis was Metopa latimana Hansen, 1887. St. Abbs by far the most abundant and was usually & Bell Rock found at all the stations. Nine of the A. Metopa tenuimana Sars, 1892. Bell Rock tenuicornis from St. Abbs (5 in ‘86, 2 in Metopa robusta Sars, 1892 [see Figure ‘87, 2 in ‘88) were found to be harbouring 2b]. St. Abbs & Bell Rock. Three adult

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 17

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive females, and 3 juvs., from stn.17 have However additional Bathyporeia species been deposited in the National Museum of have been identified in the Clyde Sea area Scotland (Registration No. NMSZ (Barclay, 1982) and it is likely that further 2001.012.2-7). Material also been species may also exist in the Forth Sea deposited in the British Museum (Natural area. None of the B. elegans from the History), London. disposal grounds were parasitised by copepods. However a single female of B. The key features of M. robusta include the pelagica collected intertidally from gnathopod structure, telson armature and Belhaven Bay, Dunbar in June ‘88 was sinuous ventral border of coxal plate 4. It infested by a large mature female of was in fact recorded from the Forth by Sphaeronella paradoxa Hansen, 1897. Scott (1906) but was not included in While the copepod exhibited the typical Lincoln’s monograph. It was also angular ventrum of this species, the recorded off the Northumberland coast by diagnostic umbilical attachment filament Sheader (1983). was absent.

Stenothoids are also rather small Family Urothoidae amphipods but with conspicuous large Urothoe elegans (Bate, 1856). St. Abbs & coxal plates. The gnathopods and Bell Rock armature of the telson are important aids for identification. Metopa bruzelii, M. Family Oedicerotidae pusilla and Stenula rubrovitatta were Pontocrates arenarius (Bate, 1858). St. recorded at St.Abbs and additionally M. Abbs & Bell Rock norvegica and Stenothoe marina were Synchelidium maculatum Stebbing, 1906. found at Bell Rock. St. Abbs & Bell Rock

Family Melitidae Oedicerotids are characterised by their Cheirocratus assimilis (Lilljeborg, 1852). helmet-shaped heads. Five species have Bell Rock previously been recorded from the Forth Cheirocratus intermedius G.O.Sars, 1894. Sea area of which two, Perioculodes St. Abbs longimanus and Westwoodilla caecula Melita dentata (Kroyer,1842). St. Abbs were common at St. Abbs and Bell Rock. Melita hergensis Reid,1939. St. Abbs An additional species, Pontocrates Jun.’87 arcticus Sars, 1893 has only recently been recognised from British waters from the Melitids are large amphipods usually with Firth of Clyde (Moore & Beare, 1993) and elongated uropod 3 and, in males, may well also occur in the Forth Sea area. enlarged gnathopod 2, the latter being Perioculodes longimanus was a diagnostic for each species. The genus particularly abundant species at the Cheirocratus exhibits a relatively unusual disposal grounds and was frequently feature with the first antennae being parasitised by the copepod Sphaeronella shorter than the second. Maera loveni, M. minuta Scott, 1904. Eight amphipods from othonis, and Abludomelita obtusata (Melita St.Abbs were infested (1 in ‘86, 3 in ‘87, 2 obtusata in Lincoln), were recovered from in ‘88, 2 in ‘89), mostly with juvenile St. Abbs and Cheirocratus sundevallii was parasites but also one mature, and two also found at Bell Rock. ovigerous, females. More infested amphipods were observed at Bell Rock Family Pontoporeiidae (24 in Jan.’87, 1 in Apr.’89). Again most of Bathyporeia elegans Watkin, 1938. Bell the copepods appeared to be juveniles but Rock included two ovigerous females. A single mature female copepod was also The genus Bathyporeia contains a number recovered from a P. longimanus collected of species which are abundant in intertidal at Dunbar in 1988. Scott (1904) figured and sublittoral sandy sediments They all this species with a short umbilical have a distinctive geniculate first attachment thread similar to that of S. antennae. The species can be quite paradoxa (which parasitises Bathyporeia difficult to distinguish and although several spp.). However, none of the Forth species were tentatively identified from the specimens appeared to have such a disposal grounds only the record of B. thread. elegans was confirmed by P.G. Moore.

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 18

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive Family Melphidippidae Megaluropus agilis. Bell Rock Family Isaeidae Gammaropsis maculata (Johnston, 1828). Family Calliopiidae St. Abbs & Bell Rock Apherusa bispinosa (Bate, 1856). St. Abbs Gammaropsis palmata (Stebbing & Robertson, 1891). St. Abbs & Bell Rock Family Pleustidae Gammaropsis nitida (Stimpson, 1853). St. Parapleustes bicuspis (Kroyer, 1838). St. Abbs & Bell Rock Abbs & Bell Rock Gammaropsis cornuta (Norman, 1869) Stenopleustes latipes (G.O.Sars, 1858). [Lincoln, 1979, as Megamphopus St. Abbs & Bell Rock cornutus]. St. Abbs & Bell Rock Stenopleustes nodifer (G.O.Sars, 1882). Photis longicaudata (Bate & Westwood, St. Abbs 1862). St. Abbs & Bell Rock Photis reinhardi Kroyer, 1842. Bell Rock. A small family with only 5 British species. Confirmed by P.G. Moore on basis of Only Parapleustes assimilis is previously female Gnathopod 1. recorded from the Forth Sea area, and was also found at St. Abbs. Although only two species are previously recorded from the Forth Sea area, seven Family Paramphithoidae species were identified at the disposal Epimeria cornigera (Fabricius, 1779). St. grounds of which, only Protomedeia Abbs. fasciata, was already known. The genus None of the specimens were recovered Gammaropsis is readily recognised by the from grab samples but were found among acute lateral eye lobes. In Photis debris in a fish trawl undertaken at the longicaudata the inner ramus of uropod 3 centre of the disposal ground as an is so small that that the uropods appear to additional part of the monitoring be uniramous. Morover the uropod 3 rami programme. in this species are frequently upturned. The genera Photis and Gammaropsis in Dexaminidae British waters are reviewed by Myers & Guernea coalita (Norman, 1868). Bell McGrath (1981, 1982). Rock . A small species, easily overlooked. In Family Corophiidae addition to plumose setae on leg 7, the Corophium crassicorne Bruzelius, 1859. urosome has a knobbly appearance Bell Rock dorsally. Three of the amphipods collected in Jan.’87 (stns.3,9,25) harboured single Family Aoridae copepods in their brood pouch, identified Aora gracilis (Bate, 1857) [Lincoln, 1979 as juvenile female Sphaeronella danica as A. typica Kroyer, 1845]. St. Abbs & Bell Hansen, 1897. Rock Siphonoecetes striatus Myers & McGrath, Autonoe longipes (Lilljeborg, 1852) 1979. Bell Rock [Lincoln, 1979 as Lembos longipes]. St. This species is difficult to distinguish from Abbs & Bell Rock S. kroyeranus. Ideally mature specimens Leptocheiros hirsutimanus (Bate, 1862). are required which retain their Bell Rock pigmentation patterns on the rostrum and Females of this family are often difficult to antennae (see Myers & McGrath, 1979). In distinguish, even at generic level. Mature view of the apparent occurrence of S. males however have sexually dimorphic striatus from the area, previous records of gnathopods which are generally S. kroyeranus may be mistaken and the diagnostic. The genus Aora in British presence of both species in the Forth now waters was reviewed by Myers & Costello requires confirmation. (1984). Aora typica is a southern ocean species and does not occur in Britain. Corophiids are one of the best known Records of A. typica from British waters amphipod families, especially “mud probably refer, for the most part, to A. shrimps” of the genus Corophium. The gracilis. However a new species A. dorso-ventrally flattened body, huge spinicornis was described by Myers & second antennae and brush of long setae Costello (1984) from south west Ireland on the gnathopods are characteristic. and may be present in other localities. Corophium volutator is often extremely

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 19

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive abundant in intertidal sediments where it The discovery of Paradulichia typica forms an important food source for birds above represents the first British record of and fish. It occurs on the mudflats of the this species which has an Arctic Forth Estuary (eg. FRPB surveys at distribution in waters up to 550m deep. Kinneil) but surprisingly is not cited from The genera Dulichia and Paradulichia the Forth by Lincoln (1979), who only were reviewed by Laubitz (1977). mentions Corophium affine, Siphonoecetes kroyeranus, and Unciola Order: LEPTOSTRACA planipes from the area. C. affine was recorded from St. Abbs and Bell Rock and Family U. planipes also from Bell Rock. herbstii Leach, 1814 [Mauchline, 1984, as Nebalia bipes (Fabricius, 1780)] St. Abbs & Bell Rock (Identity confirmed Family Ischyroceridae for 1989 specimens only) Microjassa cumbrensis (Stebbing & Nebalia borealis Dahl, 1985. Bell Rock Robertson, 1891). St. Abbs Sarsinebalia typhlops (G.O.Sars, 1870) One of the smallest species of the family [Mauchline, 1984, as Nebalia and difficult to identify. The single typhlops].Bell Rock Four specimens, all specimen collected appears to be the first from Bell Rock Jan.87, have been record from the east coast of Britain. deposited in the National Museum of Ericthonius rubricornis (Stimpson, 1853). Scotland (Registration No. NMSZ St. Abbs & Bell Rock 2001.012.11-14). The genus Ericthonius was revised by Myers & McGrath (1984) who recognised The only leptostracan noted by Mauchline four species from British waters. Of the (1984) in inshore waters was Nebalia species cited by Lincoln (1979), E. bipes (Fabricius, 1780). Although this brasiliensis does not occur in British species is widely recorded around the waters and records of this species British coast, even intertidally, the review probably refer to E. punctatus (Bate, by Dahl (1985) indicated that it is an arctic 1857). E. difformis is present in British species and the only confirmed European waters though the previous records of records are from Iceland and northern E.difformis from the Forth Sea area may Norway. It seems probable that most of possibly refer to E .rubricornis which has the British records of N. bipes should in already been recorded in the Forth area by fact refer to N. herbstii Leach,1814. Moore (1984b). Indeed of the N. herbstii records from the disposal grounds, all were originally Family Podoceridae identified as N. bipes and only the Paradulichia typica Boeck, 1870 [see specimens from 1989 have been re- Figure 2c]. St. Abbs examined and confirmed as N. herbstii. Three specimens have been deposited in However, Dahl (1985), also described a the National Museum of Scotland new species, N .borealis Dahl 1985, with a (Registration No. NMSZ 2001.012.8-10. more southern boreal distribution which Some material has also been deposited in includes southern Norway, Sweden, and the British Museum (Natural History), the Shetland Isles. It is distinguished from London. N. herbstii by the acutely pointed (rather than rounded) denticles on the dorsal Dyopedos porrectus (Bate, 1857). St. margin of sixth and seventh pleon Abbs & Bell Rock segments. N. borealis has also now been found at the disposal grounds with a single The family is generally recognised by the specimen identified at Bell Rock, stn.15, in elongated urosomal 1 segment and the 1999, so it is possible some of the presence of only 1 or 2 pairs of uropods. unconfirmed N. herbstii cited above may Dyopedos monacanthus was also be N. borealis. recorded from both St. Abbs and Bell rock. The two Dyopedos species are The occurrence of Sarsinebalia typhlops at distinguished by the second gnathopods the disposal grounds, with maximum and by spines on coxal plates 1 or 2 of the depths around 60m, is somewhat males. However some small males of D. surprising as Mauchline suggests it is monacanthus were observed at St. Abbs restricted to deeper waters from 220- without the characteristic coxal 1 spine. 2900m. S. typhlops is readily

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 20

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive recognisable by its minute unpigmented Marine Invertebrates (and Whales). eyes and by its rostrum which is Synopses of the British Fauna (New surmounted by a small, but distinct, apical Series) No.46. Published for the spine. Linnaean Society and the Estuarine and Coastal Sciences Association by References Universal Book Services/Dr. Barclay, I.M.T. (1982). New records of W.Backhuys, 264 pp. Bathyporeia (Amphipoda) from West Scotland. Journal of the Marine Gotto, R.V. & McGrath, D. (1980). Biological Association of the U.K. 62, Choniostomatid copepods from Irish 229-231. coastal waters. Irish Naturalists Journal 20, 112-114. Buhl-Jensen, L. & Fossa, J.H. (1991). Hyperbenthic fauna of the Green, J. (1958). Copepoda parasitic Gullmarfjord area (western Sweden): on British Amphipoda (Crustacea), species richness, seasonal variation with descriptions of a new species of and long term changes. Marine Sphaeronella. Proceedings of the Biology 109, 245-258. Zoological Society of London 131, 301-313. Costello, M.J. & Myers, A.A. (1989). Observations on the parasitism of Harrison, R.J. (1944). Caprellidea Aora gracilis (Bate) (Amphipoda) by (Amphipoda,Crustacea). Synopses of Sphaeronella leuckartii Salensky the British Fauna. No.2, 27 pp., The (Copepoda), with a review of Linnean Society of London. amphipod- Sphaeronella associations. Journal of Natural History 23, 81-91. Howson, C.M. & Picton, B.E. (eds.)(1997). The Species Directory of Dahl, E. (1985). Crustacea the Marine Fauna and Flora of the Leptostraca, principles of taxonomy British Isles and surrounding seas. and a revision of European shelf Ulster Museum and The Marine species. 70, 135-165. Conservation Society, Belfast and Ross-on-Wye, 508 pp. Dauvin, J.C. & Bellan-Santini, D. (1988). Illustrated key to Ampelisca Just, J. (1978). Taxonomy, biology species of the North-Eastern Atlantic. and evolution of the circumarctic Journal of the Marine Biological genus Acanthonotozoma Association of the U.K. 68, 659-676. (Amphipoda), with notes on Panoploeopsis. Acta Arctica 20, 1- Dewarumez, J-M., Davoult, D., & 140. Glacon, R. (1992). Nouvelles signalisations d’especes Laubitz, D.R. (1977). A revision of the macrobenthiques sur les cotes genera Dulichia Kroyer and francaises de la Manche orientale et Paradulichia Boeck (Amphipoda, de la Mer du Nord. III. Crustaces Pododeridae). Canadian Journal of Amphipodes. Cahiers de Biologie Zoology 55, 942-982. Marine 33, 469-476. Lincoln, R.J. (1979). British Marine Gotto, R.V. (1984). Two new species Amphipoda: Gammaridea. British of Rhizorhina (Copepoda: Museum (Natural History), 658 pp. Siphonostomatoida) from leptostracan and tanaidacean hosts. Journal of Mauchline, J. (1984). Euphausiid, Natural History 18, 811-817. Stomatopod and Leptostracan Crustaceans. Synopses of the British Gotto, V. (1993). Commensal and Fauna (New Series) No. 30, E.J.Brill / Parasitic Copepods associated with Dr W Backhuys, 91 pp.

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 21

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive Myers, A. A. and McGrath, D. (1984). Moore, P. G. (1984a) The Fauna of A revision of the North-East Atlantic the Clyde Sea Area. Crustacea: species of Ericthonius Amphipoda. Occasional Publication (Crustacea:Amphipoda). Journal of the No.2, University Marine Biological Marine Biological Association of the Station, Millport, 84 pp. U.K 64, 379-400.

Moore, P.G. (1984b). O’Reilly, M.G. (1998). Whale-lice Acanthonotozoma serratum, an Arctic (Amphipoda: Cyamidae) and Sea Lice Amphipod new to Britain. Journal of (Copepoda: Caligidae) from stranded the Marine Biological Association of whales in the Firth of Forth. Glasgow the U.K 64, 731-732. Naturalist 23(3):24-26.

Moore, P.G. & Wong ,Y.M. (1996). A O’ Reilly, M.G. & Geddes, D. (2000). note concerning associates of the Copepoda. pp.217-281, in Vol. 1 of: scavenging amphipod Orchomene Foster-Smith, J. (ed.)(2000). The nanus (Lysianassoidea). Journal of Marine Fauna and Flora of the the Marine Biological Association of Cullercoats District: Marine Species the U.K. 76, 259-261. Records for the North East Coast of England. Vol.1 (546pp.), Vol.2 Moore, P.G. & Beare, D.J. (1993). (561pp.) A Dove Marine Laboratory Taxonomic confusion in the genus Publication, Penshaw Press, Pontocrates (Crustacea:Amphipoda) Sunderland. and the presence of P .arcticus in Britain. Journal of the Marine Parker, J.G. (1984). The distribution Biological Association of the U.K 73, of subtidal Amphipoda in Belfast 609-615. Lough in relation to sediment types. Ophelia 23, 119-140. Myers, A.A. & Costello, M.J. (1984). The amphipod genus Aora in British Sars, G.O. (1890-95). Account of the and Irish waters. Journal of the Marine Crustacea of Norway. Vol.1 Biological Association of the U.K 64, Amphipoda. 711pp. Christiania & 279-283. Copenhagen: Cammermeyer.

Myers, A.A. & McGrath, D. (1979). Scott, T. (1904). Notes on some rare The British and Irish species of and interesting marine crustacea. 22nd Siphonoecetes Kroyer (Amphipoda- Annual Report of the Fishery Board Gammaridea). Journal of Natural for Scotland, 1903, Part 3, pp.242- History 13, 211-220. 261, plates 13-15.

Myers, A. A. and McGrath, D. (1981). Scott, T. (1906). A catalogue of land, Taxonomic studies of the British and freshwater, and marine Crustacea, Irish Amphipoda. The genus Photis found in the basin of the River Forth with the re-establishment of P. pollex and its estuary. Part 1. , (=P. macrocoxa). Journal of the Cladocera, and Branchiura. Marine Biological Association of the Proceedings of the Royal Physical U.K 61, 759-768. Society of Edinburgh 16, 97-190.

Myers, A. A. and McGrath, D. (1982). Sheader, M. (1983). Amphipoda. The Taxonomic studies on British and Irish Marine Fauna of the Cullercoats Amphipoda. The genus District, No 13. Report of the Dove Gammaropsis. Journal of the Marine Marine Laboratory, Third Series, Biological Association of the U.K. 62, No.26. 187 pp. 93-100.

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 22

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive Figure 1: Location of disposal ground sampling stations at St.Abbs, and Bell Rock .

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 23

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive Figure 2: a) Acanthonotozoma serratum, length up to 12mm. b) Metopa robusta, length up to 6mm. c) Paradulichia typica, length up to 5mm. (All after Sars, G.O. (1890-95). Account of the Crustacea of Norway. Vol.1 Amphipoda. 711pp. Christiania & Copenhagen: Cammermeyer.

This abridged version of the above paper is reproduced with permission from the Glasgow Naturalist 2001, Vol.23(6).

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 24

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

The Porcupine Recording Scheme interest to warrant further Jon Moore Ti Cara, Cosheston, dissemination. The only previous Pembrokeshire, SA72 4UN record from Britain is that found in ([email protected]) 1972 at Thurlestone, near Plymouth, although it has recently been recorded The recording scheme continues to from Ireland by Bernard Picton. The get a slow trickle of records, which we general distribution of the species is hope will increase. Remember, if you ‘rare from the Mediterranean and have any additional information or Atlantic’ and Roger would like to know comments on the records given here, about any other records from . we are always interested to hear them For a description see the Linnean and disseminate them. Society guide (Thompson, 1988). Mike Bailey reports that he has been Sunfish records continue to come in finding ‘huge’ numbers of Ensis and are passed on to Doug Herdson at americanus in the Wash in recent the National Marine Aquarium, surveys. This alien razorshell was first Plymouth (Douglas.herdson@national- reported in the UK in 1989, a long way aquarium.co.uk). The latest comes from the Atlantic coast of N. America from Steve Hutchinson who found a 2’ where it is native. It has spread long (30 lb) specimen 2 miles south of around much of the southern North Hengistbury Head in Dorset. Other Sea and is found from the Humber to records in short: Suberites masa in E.Sussex: or is that already out of Newtown creek, I.O.W (Jenny date? Another alien species, Mallinson); Calliactis parasitica on Sargassum muticum, has also been Turbot Bank, Pembs. in August (Ivor on the move in UK. Ivor Rees reports Rees); Callista chione off Aberporth in that it has been found on Anglesey for S Cardigan Bay, August (Ivor Rees – the first time this summer. the first live one he has seen in the A specimen of the crab Goneplax Irish Sea); Simnia patula on sea fans rhomboides was found burrowing in on Lundy in July (Jane Lilley); Chorda the shore in Southampton Water filum stands at 2 sites in W. Cumbria (Netley beach) by Mr Deathe in this summer (never seen there before) October while bait digging. He kept it (Betty Green). Thanks to: Mike Bailey, alive and took it to the aquarium at the Mr Deathe, Betty Green, Roger Southampton Oceanography Centre. Herbert, Steve Hutchinson, Jane Goneplax has been recorded from Lilley, Jenny Mallinson, Ivor Rees. Southampton Water before (see Clark, Please keep the records coming! A 1986, NE Atlantic Crabs), but there are few people have said they are not very few records from the eastern half really sure what constitutes a record of of the English Channel. And talking of interest, particularly if they are unsure crabs: Jane Lilley found a large of the rarity of a species. There is no congregation of spider crabs Maja precise answer to this, but we are squinado on Lundy in August this year. interested in anything that YOU found She estimated densities of 10 interesting. One of the primary individuals per m2, in an area that took purposes of the scheme is to her 10+ minutes to fin across. They encourage dissemination and appeared to be walking towards feedback and so increase the deeper water, but showed no signs of understanding of readers and moulting or overt mating behaviour. recorders. Obviously, distribution Roger Herbert reports that he found information can be checked in i.d and photographed the very rare books or databases (try nudibranch Heamiopsis variopicta in a www.jncc.gov.uk/mermaid) for a rockpool at Bembridge, I.O.W in March species before a record is sent, but 1999. The record was reported in the distribution information is poor for most Proc. of the IOW Natural History species and unavailable for many. Society, and is certainly of sufficient

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 25

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

' PORCUPINE 2001. THE MARINE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE NE ATLANTIC: Long-term Studies'

Papers from the PMNHS meeting held at the Environment Agency, th Brampton, Huntingdon from 16-18 March 2001

given extra resources to increase its level of expertise in the marine and coastal environment. This led to the establishment of the Marine Nature Conservation Review.

The Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR) (Hiscock 1996) was established in 1987 to extend our knowledge of marine habitats, Opportunities for long-term communities and species in the UK. It studies - monitoring marine aimed to achieve this by developing a Special Areas of Conservation classification of marine habitats and species to mirror the NVC and other classifications in existence for the Eleanor Murray terrestrial environment. It also aimed to describe sectors of coastline, Maritime Monitoring Officer, English through the revision of current Nature, Northminster House, knowledge and the production of Area Peterborough, PE1 1UA summary documents which provided

comprehensive descriptions of marine Past data collection by the nature near-shore areas. The other main conservation agencies function of the MNCR was to identify Historically, the nature conservation sites and species of nature agencies have used marine data conservation importance to provide a information on an ad-hoc basis. Data network of marine areas protected have been used to designate Sites of under the 1981 Wildlife & Countryside Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), other Act. data have been gathered to inform the management of SSSIs in response to The MNCR was intended as a 10-year planning applications etc. In 1979, the project with a specific aim, and not for Natural Environmental Research the long-term collection of biological Council and the Nature Conservancy information. Council prepared a paper on nature conservation in the marine New opportunities for nature environment which recommended that conservation the NCC develop a formal marine Whilst the MNCR was gathering conservation policy, undertake some momentum, UK government SSSI designation and explore representatives attended the ‘Earth mechanisms for protection and Summit’ in Rio, where it signed the management of subtidal areas (SSSI declaration for the conservation of designation does not go deeper than biodiversity. The EU responded to the Mean Low Water). In 1983 NCC were Rio convention by producing the Habitats Directive (Council of

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 26

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

European Communities 1992). The UK also developed the Biodiversity Trials of monitoring techniques Action Plan (DOE 1994) as a further To facilitate the implementation of the contribution to it’s undertaking at Rio. Habitats Directive, the nature The provision of the Habitats Directive conservation agencies, in conjunction and the updating of the existing Birds with the Scottish Association for Directive led to the designation of Marine Science, bid for European marine Special Areas of Conservation funding to develop best practice for (SAC) for habitats and Special implementation. This project Protection Areas for birds. In England, considered trials of novel techniques we have designated 57 sites in total, for monitoring, to develop a full ‘toolkit’ 16 of which are SACs. for site monitoring. This toolkit has been produced as the marine Development of monitoring monitoring handbook (Davies et al. programmes 2001), which provides guidance on the The aim of the Habitats Directive is to establishment of monitoring studies on further the conservation of biodiversity, sites, and also a series of procedural specifically by maintaining range and guidelines which give detailed areas of natural habitat, maintaining accounts of various monitoring the structure & function of those methods. This is a massive volume habitats, and maintaining the that has been jointly produced by the conservation status of typical species. nature conservation agencies, and This prescription is fairly high level, contributed to by many marine and open to considerable specialists throughout the UK. This interpretation across Europe. The volume has also tried to address nature conservation agencies were quality assurance issues, which is given further guidance via the UK essential for monitoring programmes. Conservation Regulations (Anon 1994) which demanded that the nature Linking monitoring effort conservation agencies established The nature conservation agencies are conservation objectives for each site to currently undertaking a comprehensive meet the aims of directive. This was review of existing monitoring at each taken further for the marine of the sites. This is mainly being done environment where we can establish a at a local level through the management scheme for the site, if management groups created for each deemed necessary. The regulations site. We are also investigating other also require us to regularly monitor monitoring initiatives at a national and sites to ensure objectives are being international level, mainly through the met and, wherever possible, use work done by the Joint Nature existing authoritative monitoring Conservation Committee. schemes. There are many gaps in our This is the opportunity given to us to knowledge in monitoring marine sites work with a host of authorities to for nature conservation purposes. develop a long-term programme of Until now, a good deal of monitoring data collection to ensure we can has been linked to pollution and other manage an area for marine visible impacts. We now have an conservation purposes. Although opportunity to develop our charged in 1983 to improve our understanding in the functioning of knowledge and understanding in the marine ecosystems, as prescribed by marine environment, we are still the Habitats Directive. We need to relatively new to the designation, gain a better understanding of natural management and monitoring of marine fluctuations in the marine environment, areas for nature conservation to reduce the apparent need for purposes. management when a system is

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 27

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

behaving normally. We also need to climate change project (MarClim) understand the cause and effect of (Hawkins et al. 2001). This is a joint activities on habitats and species. We study by a number of academic have the pursuit of these questions in institutions which has been developed our gift now, and the collation and mainly by the Marine Biological analysis of information is essential to Association in Plymouth. The aims of further our knowledge in these areas. the study are to find and collate historical data from known sources. Developing a network of data The analysis of these data will enable There is an increasing amount of us to understand the effects of climate biological information in existence from change on the distribution and a wide range of sources, from national behaviour of marine species in schemes such as Porcupine through response to parameters such as rising to commercial data collected by sea temperatures. The project also industry. The power of pulling all of aims to develop a network of sites to that information together is vast, and undertake long term monitoring to what’s more, is attainable now we enable us to model such changes in have fully embraced the Internet age. the future.

The National Biodiversity Network Summary (www.searchnbn.net) is an initiative The UK nature conservation agencies originally set up by JNCC to fulfil this have an opportunity to facilitate the vision of making data readily available consistent collection of good quality across the internet. The National marine biological data. Through the Biodiversity Network (NBN) is a trust National Biodiversity Network, data will that facilitates the development of be made available efficiently and web-based technology to deliver data effectively to inform us about the to anyone who wishes to access it. A aspirations we have for marine standard data model has been protected sites. The ease of drawing developed, which will hold any kind of data together, and the initiation of biological records. This data has been other projects such as the MarClim made available through a web work will enable us to study and gain a ‘gateway’, and can be searched by a better understanding of marine number of criteria. The idea of the ecosystems, which will in turn lead to NBN is to make live data available to better management decisions in these all and ensure it is managed properly. areas. We will be able to use data from a wide range of sources to English Nature are also keen to ensure the maintenance of the rich facilitate the management of data natural heritage that is our marine through the establishment and environment. continued security for Local Records Centres, to ensure we have well References managed, up to data information a Hiscock, K. (ed.) 1996. Marine Nature mouse click away. Conservation Review: rationale and methods. Peterborough, Joint Nature Looking at long term trends Conservation Committee. (Coasts and In recent years, the impact of climate seas of the United Kingdom. MNCR change on our surroundings has been series. an increasing concern. We need to better understand the effects of Council of European Communities. climate change on our marine habitats (1992). Council Directive 92/43/EEC: and species to prepare us for changes On the conservation of natural habitats in the marine environment. An of wild fauna and flora. Official Journal emerging initiative to improve our of the European Communities, L206/7. knowledge is the Britain & Ireland

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 28

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

Department of the Environment (DOE) The sand banks and channels in the (1994). Biodiversity: the UK Action SE Wash ‘delta’ are highly mobile and Plan, HMSO, London the estuary has taken many different routes throughout the last century. Anon. (1994). The Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations. Biological (and chemical) surveys to Statutory Instrument No. 2716 assess water quality in the Great Ouse estuary and SE Wash were first Davies, J., Baxter, J., Bradley, M., undertaken in 1973, with repeat Connor, D., Kahn, J., Murray, E., surveys carried out in 1982 and 1984. Sanderson, B., Turnbull, C. and These initial surveys were Vincent, M. (Eds.) (2001). Marine predominantly sublittoral and showed Monitoring Handbook. A report to UK the infaunal benthos of the canalised Marine SACs project on behalf of the estuary to be generally impoverished. Marine Monitoring Group. Joint Nature The paucity of the fauna was attributed Conservation Committee, to a harsh salinity regime and strong Peterborough. tidal scour (Gould et al, 1986).

Hawkins, S.J., Southward, A.J., Based on the findings of these initial Kendall, M.A., Burrows, M.T., surveys an annual monitoring Thompson, R.C. and O’Riordan, R. programme, including biological, (2001). Marine Biodiversity and chemical and bacteriological surveys, Climate Change (MarClim): Assessing was devised and first undertaken in and predicting the influence of climatic 1989. The biological surveys instigated change using intertidal biota and its at this time (and still undertaken) implications for the conservation, included subtidal and intertidal benthic management and protection of the surveys and epibenthic trawls. The marine environment in Britain and surveys area is shown in Figure 1, Ireland. Unpublished paper. which also shows the main features of this part of the Wash.

The epibenthic and natant fauna of the Great Ouse estuary comprised (and Long Term Biological still does) a typical estuarine Monitoring in the Great Ouse assemblage, both in diversity and Estuary. species complement and density. In this respect there are similarities with, Mike Bailey for example, the Severn Estuary, where the benthos is severely reduced Ecomaris Ltd, Red House Farm, Wood (owing to sediment instability) but the Walton, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE28 5YL organic energy within the water

column is exploited by dense The Great Ouse is the largest of the populations of mysids and caridea four rivers draining into the Wash (shrimps and prawns) as well as fish embayment. The estuarine section is (Bamber and Henderson, 1994). canalised throughout its length until it reaches the Wash. At high water the The sublittoral benthos of the estuary joins the Wash at a location canalised estuary has been monitored known as The Point or Cut End throughout the 1990s and remains (Figure 1B). At low water numerous impoverished as a result of scour and delta-like sand banks are exposed and a harsh salinity regime (salinity in the the estuary remains channelled estuary between Kings Lynn and the through a combination a man-made Wash ranges from 0 to 32 ‰ training wall and natural channels until depending on the state of tide, though it reaches the main body of the Wash. such extreme fluctuations are usually

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 29

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

encountered only on spring tides). This 1989 were analysed using community is in contrast with the SE Wash and analysis and results confirmed earlier the main body of the Wash, where indications that the granulometry is not typical and diverse benthic the principal controlling factor communities are encountered. separating the indicated communities, rather it related to the presence of A review of all the biological surveys in sewage-derived material. the Great Ouse between 1974 and 1998 has been published in draft Through the 1990s Hull Sands has (Bailey et al, 1999) and an updated built up against the Training Wall version of this report is currently in (Figure 1) and in ca.1996 Hull Sands press. The remainder of this ‘paper’ engulfed the seaward section of the (and the subject of the talk given at the Training Wall, and extended into the 2001 Porcupine conference) will Great Ouse estuary (also creating concentrate on the intertidal benthic navigation problems). Since 1996 the surveys that have been carried out extent of Hull Sands on top of the annually in the Great Ouse estuary Training Wall has been variable. At throughout the 1990s. sample sites on the lower section of the Training Wall sediment type has 1989 to 1992 were drought years and shifted between soft mud and sand. the importance of salinity as a Similar shifts in sediment type have controlling influence on the intertidal also been observed on the east bank benthos was clearly demonstrated, of the Great Ouse estuary, with sand with an ingress of estuarine and banks changing to mud banks and marine organisms into the lower back to sand banks within the space of estuary, the ‘training wall’ sites. Figure ca. 2 months. During the latter half of 2 shows that estuarine polychaetes the 1990s there have been such as Pygospio elegans were considerable improvements to the present as far upstream as West Bank effluent discharged from Kings Lynn Beacon between 1989 and 1992, but stw, but unfortunately the expected disappeared once freshwater flows changes in the benthos as a result of returned to normal. Similar distribution this ‘clean-up’ can not be assessed patterns were observed for a number due to the loss of mud sites on the of animals. Marine organisms such as Training Wall (though bacteriological Polydora spp. were also seen in the surveys have shown a large reduction canalised section of the estuary during in bacteriological contamination in the the drought years, but only at sites on lower estuary). the seaward section of the training wall (Bailey,1993). Between 1989 and 1995 the Great Ouse estuary flowed through the The intertidal surveys in the early easternmost channel shown in Figure 1990s also identified a likely impact on 1, to ‘Cork Hole’. In 1995 the estuarine the benthos from sewage-derived section seawards of the Training Wall material discharged from Kings Lynn branched, the east channel as before sewage treatment works (stw). The (to Cork Hole) and a western channel entire length of the training wall was running to the 'Teetotal Channel' covered by soft mud in the early 90’s opened up (and afforded better and as these were the only mud sites navigation at low water). The in the entire survey, community branching of the estuary resulted in analysis always separated the training the 't-junction' shown in Figure 1. wall sites from other sites, making it Since 1995, this 't-junction' has been difficult to quantify the effects from the migrating northwards, cutting into the stw. For the purposes of the biological main sandbanks (Daseley's and review (Bailey et al, 1999) all intertidal Pandora Sands), destroying habitat samples collected between 1974 and and re-suspending thousands of

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 30

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

tonnes of sediment. Sampling as and SE Wash. Contract report by recently as September 2001 has Ecomaris Ltd for the Environment shown that the areas affected by the Agency, Anglian Region. channel migration have still not recovered, the substratum in this area Bamber R N & Henderson P A, (1994). comprises an unstable sandy/muddy Seasonality of caridean decapod and ‘slop’ which is unsuitable for mysid distribution and movements recolonization. The position of the within the Severn Estuary and Bristol channel in 1994 and 2000 is shown in Channel. Biol. J. Linn. Soc., 51; 83-91. Figure 1. Gould. D.J, Dyer.M.F, Grist.N.J, Benthic communities encountered in Starke.G.T.C.S, Cooper.V.A, Tester. the outer estuary and the SE Wash D.J. (1986). The Great Ouse Estuary are typical of fine sands (Nephtys Ecological Study. Vols I-IV. Report for cirrosa, Tanaissus lilljeborgii, Anglian Water. Bathyporeia spp., Nephtys hombergi) and muddy sands (Nephtys hombergi, Pygospio elegans, Macoma balthica, Table 1. The top 27 dominant Hydrobia ulvae, Eteone longa). The species of the intertidal sites, by communities encountered in the SE total occurrence (numbers per five Wash are less influenced by sewage- 0.01m2 cores derived-organics or by salinity or scour stresses and much more stable over Total Occur Mean Max time, though local disturbances are -rence still identified, always a result of bed Tubificoides benedii 10544 111 53 1273 instability often due to channel Hydrobia ulvae 3019 112 15 1073 changes (but also due to cockle Corophium volutator 2977 33 15 1674 dredging). Localized diverse Pygospio elegans 2596 94 13 287 anomalies are often encountered Macoma balthica 1895 99 9 234 related to patches of the sand- Nephtys hombergii 918 115 5 73 mason-worm, Lanice conchilega. Eteone longa 918 91 5 137 The benthic communities are Cerastoderma edule 617 37 3 344 summarized in Tables 1 and 2. Cyathura carinata 540 9 3 453 At the end of the 1990’s there was a Tharyx spp 448 42 2 77 shift in emphasis in the intertidal Nephtys cirrosa 301 39 2 33 sampling programme, with more Mytilus edulis 278 74 1 37 sampling taking place at greater Tanaissus lilljeborgii 255 33 1 57 Polydora spp 242 9 1 158 distances from the unstable Capitella capitata 234 25 1 172 channels. These recent surveys Spio martinensis 231 32 1 40 have shown that diversity and Phyllodoce mucosa 177 31 1 38 stability both increase with distance Paranais littoralis 165 11 1 56 from the main channels, the main Mysella bidentata 159 15 1 49 influence on the communities being Scrobicularia plana 146 29 1 24 shore height and the type of Lanice conchilega 139 13 1 88 substratum present. Bathyporeia pelagica 93 10 0 77 Tubificoides 88 15 0 21 References pseudogaster Bailey. M, (1993). Great Ouse Heterochaeta costata 72 11 0 27 Estuary Surveys 1989-1991. Internal Cumopsis goodsiri 67 16 0 18 NRA, Anglian Region Report. Heteromastus 57 9 0 21 filliformis Bailey, M, Bamber, R.N and Scoloplos armiger 56 19 0 15 Chimonides, P.D.J. (1999). A review and analysis of 25 years of biological monitoring in the Great Ouse estuary

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 31

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

Table 2. Mean density (per five 0.01m2 cores) of the top 27 species by intertidal zone.

Inner Train Outer Sites -ing sites Wall Tubificoides benedii 19 138 1 Hydrobia ulvae 7 21 18 Corophium volutator 0 14 23 Pygospio elegans 9 27 6 Macoma balthica 3 25 1 Nephtys hombergii 1 8 2 Eteone longa 1 8 3 Cerastoderma edule 0 1 7 Cyathura carinata 0 1 6 Tharyx spp 1 3 2 Nephtys cirrosa 0 0 4 Mytilus edulis 0 2 2 Tanaissus lilljeborgi 0 0 3 Polydora spp 0 0 3 Capitella capitata 0 0 3 Spio martinensis 0 0 3 Phyllodoce mucosa 0 0 2 Paranais littoralis 3 0 0 Mysella bidentata 0 2 0 Scrobicularia plana 0 2 0 Lanice conchilega 0 1 1 Bathyporeia pilosa 3 1 0 Tubificoides 1 0 1 pseudogaster Heterochaeta costata 2 0 0 Cumopsis goodsiri 0 0 1 Heteromastus filliformis 0 0 0 Scoloplos armiger 0 0 1

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 32

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

Figure 1. Features of the SE Wash Figure 2. Abundance of Pygospio elegans and Nepthys spp. Cork Hole *

80 Teetotal Channel 60 35

30 40 25

20 20 15

Outer Estuary 0 10 Daseleys Sites 5 Sands 0

80

Pandora 60 Channel in 2000 35 Sands 30 Bulldog 40 25

Sands 20 20 Salt Marsh 15

0 10

5

Channel in 1994 0 West Stones Beacon Breast Hull Sands Sands

Training Wall Training Wall Sites 35

80 30 25 Salt Marsh 60 20

40 15 10 20 5

0 West Bank Beacon 0

North Sea

West Bank Beacon Inner Estuary The Wash Sites The Point

172 . 5 73

King's Lynn STW 80 35 30 60 25 20 40 15 Boston Survey Area 20 10 5 0 River Great Ouse 0

Kings Lynn 1km (approx.) King's Lynn Pygospio elegans Wisbech Nephtys spp

Numbers per 5 0.01m2 cores

Subtidal Benthic Surveys of

the Wash in the 1990s

Séamus G. Whyte Methods

Ecomaris Ltd., Red House Farm, Wood In August 1999, benthic grab samples Walton, Huntingdon PE28 5YL were taken from 32 sites within the sampling grid shown in Figure 1. Introduction Samples from all stations (66) were In August 1999, the Anglian Region of taken in 1991 and 14 stations were the Environment Agency (EA) sampled in 1993. At each site, three commissioned Ecomaris Ltd to Day grab samples (0.3m2) were undertake a sub-littoral grab survey of collected for the determination of the Wash Estuary, a follow-up to macrofauna. Sub samples were surveys undertaken by the National collected for sediment, bacteriological, Rivers Authority (NRA) in 1991 and heavy metals and organic analyses. 1993. Benthic samples were washed over a All results from 1999 are contained 0.5 mm sieve and the retained fauna in the full report, Bailey et al., 2001, were bottled, labelled and preserved and changes between the three with 5 % formalin solution. In the surveys are analysed and laboratory, all animals were extracted, discussed. enumerated and identified to the lowest practicable taxon, usually species.

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 33

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

Results and Discussion at all stations within the Boston channel by 1999. 217 species were identified from 66 sites in 1991, 185 species from 14 The benthic community of the Wash sites in 1993, and 200 species from 32 was generally typical of a sites in 1999. A full species matrix for predominantly sandy substratum, all three surveys can be found in dominated by polychaete worms such Bailey et al., 2001. as Nephtys hombergii, Nephtys

cirrosa, Scoloplos armiger, The sediment characteristics at each Streptosyllis websteri, Spiophanes station for each year is shown in bombyx, Pseudopolydora pulchra and Figure 2 (visual observations). Only 2 Pygospio elegans. Many of these of the 13 sites sampled in all surveys species have shown a decline in had the same substratum in all years numbers in 1999, compared to 1991 (W42 and W45). Of the 32 sites and 1993. sampled in 1991 and 1999, 2 had the same substratum in both years (W36 The sand-mason worm Lanice and W56). In the NW section of the conchilega was common in patches, grid the change in sediment amounted and was associated with capitellid to a loss of shell and gravel from a polychaetes. Ampeliscid amphipods sandy substratum (i.e. sediments were and the clam Fabulina fabula were more homogeneous in 1999). In the also typical. The patchy occurrence of SE Wash along to Hunstanton and at ophiuroid brittle stars, correlated with central Wash sites, the substratum occasionally dense aggregations of was muddier in 1999 than in previous their commensal bivalve Mysella surveys. bidentata. Some muddier stations

supported a reduced community Greatest species diversity occurred at dominated by tubificid oligochaetes, deeper sites, which appear stable over the pectinariid polychaete Lagis koreni time. These deeper sites generally and were commonly associated with supported higher numbers of the tellinacean clam Abra alba and individuals, though large numbers of occasionally the immigrant razor shell, Phoronis and Ensis americanus (the E. americanus. The most marked latter in 1999) were present at changes in 1999 relate to the numbers shallower sites. Greatest diversity was of E. americanus, which was present observed at sites where the in extremely high densities, especially 'honeycomb worm' Sabellaria at muddy shallow sites in the eastern spinulosa occurred. Sites where S. Wash (Figure 3). spinulosa was present in densities greater than 100/0.3m2 supported, on Cluster Analysis average, 2.5 times more species and Cluster analyses of the data were double the abundance compared to performed using the Bray-Curtis sites where S.spinulosa was absent or similarity index and five cluster groups, present in low numbers. S.spinulosa illustrated in Figure 4, were identified. was associated with an epifaunally- The full report uses colour to biased community including distinguish cluster groups. Due to the pycnogonids and mussel spat. constraints of black & white, the

cluster groups are distinguished in Species diversity and abundance were Figure 4 using shapes but the colour lowest in the SE Wash, though site group names are kept to ease averages have fluctuated with no discussion. A full account of the apparent trend; sites in all years were methodology used to distinguish the similar (and relatively impoverished). five cluster groups is given in the full There has been a general decline in report. the number of species and individuals

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 34

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

The red-cluster stations are confirmed outside the previous clusters, more as those supporting a diverse commonly along the Hunstanton side. community characterized by S. spinulosa on a presumably stable and The yellow-cluster community is less coarser substratum with associated dense, still with the characterizing epifaunal species (the pycnogonids spionid polychaetes and Chaetozone and mytilids), a variety of polychaetes, aff. setosa together with F. fabula, but notably errant scaleworms and the with few other species of significant infaunal Chaetozone aff. setosa and S. presence. Tanaidaceans (although armiger, but notably no Nephtys grouped together, the majority were species; the characterizing amphipod Tanaissus liljeborgi) were typically is Ampelisca diadema. These stations numerous within this cluster only. The lie in a discrete area along the centre prevailing nephtyid at these stations of the outer Wash, from station W31 was N. cirrosa. These stations were out to the seaward survey limit. again peripheral to the Wash, Stations from this cluster were hardly predominantly along the northwestern sampled during the 1993 and 1999 shore but intermixing with blue-cluster surveys. stations in the Hunstanton area. All sites within the yellow cluster had a The green-cluster stations support a predominantly sandy substratum. The diverse infaunal community, with yellow cluster appears to reflect a similarities to that of the red-cluster but reduced version of the blue cluster, without a significant presence of S. with the change in Nephtys species spinulosa or its epifaunal associates. dominance, and there is not a clear This community is characterized by N. transition between them. hombergii with Eumida bahusiensis, S. bombyx and L. conchilega (the tubes Figure 4 distinguishes the purple of which would be expected to impart cluster exclusively as 1999 sampled a stability to the substratum), stations. These are stations at which Chaetozone aff. setosa and S. armiger the xenobiotic razor shell E. (common also to the red-cluster americanus had become predominant, community), Ampharete lindstroemi, altering the community structure at Mediomastus fragilis and the bivalve stations previously in green, yellow A. alba, also characteristic of both and blue clusters, although the stable communities (red and green characterizing nephtyid here was clusters) and are not found at other again N. hombergii, and A. alba the sites. The green-cluster stations are prevalent tellinacean clam. These located in the mid Wash, adjacent to stations were predominantly located the red-cluster area. off the outflow of the River Ouse but one station, W1, was located off the Stations of the blue cluster support a Witham/Welland outflow. E. less dense N. hombergii-associated americanus is known to be more community, again with S. bombyx, tolerant of reduced salinity than its Chaetozone aff. setosa and S. armiger native congeners (I. Killeen, pers. (although less dominant here), but comm.). With the six-year gap also Spio spp. None of the remaining between 1999 and the previous characterizing species of the red and sampling period, the progress of E. blue clusters are typical, A. alba being americanus, and the concomitant replaced in significance by F. fabula, changes in the associated community, while the cumacean Pseudocuma cannot be followed. Changes in the longicornis, the polychaete Capitella community at Ensis dominated sites capitata and the brittle-star O. albida, may be expected to continue. with its possible commensal M. bidentata, are typical. This lower Station W3, at a shallow site in the density community occurs sporadically vicinity of the Witham/Welland outflow,

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 35

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

has “drifted” from green to blue to yellow over the three sampling periods, indicative of a decline in stability, diversity and density of the community.

The remaining uncharacterised stations are poorly associated, and generally of the sparser N. cirrosa community referred to earlier. Within these communities, some small clusterings occur owing to the sporadic appearance of minor species, such as station W60 (1991 and 1993), W9, W28 and W53 (all 1991) (dashed, Figure 21) where N. cirrosa and Spio spp. are joined by tanaidaceans and Eteone longa, or stations W7, W12, W14 and W56 of 1999 (dotted, Figure 21) where the same two dominants are associated unusually with Magelona mirabilis and Bathyporeia elegans. However, these groupings are not considered significant, rather they are stochastic groupings within sparse and thus poorly characterized stations/samples. These stations would appear to be the most heterogeneous in both space and time.

References Bailey, M., Bamber, R.N., Coad, P. and Whyte, S.G. (2001). Analysis of sublittoral benthic samples from the Wash estuary 1991-1999. Contract report by Ecomaris Ltd. for the Environment Agency; Anglia region.

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 36

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive

Figure 1: Location of Survey Figure 2: Visual Description of Area and Sample Grid Sediment. 1991,1993 and 1999

Figure 3: Distribution and Figure 4: Location of the Cluster Abundance of Ensis americanus Groups

PMNHS Newsletter No. 9 November 2001 37

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society (www.pmnhs.co.uk) newsletter archive