Arran's Sea Life Archives

Flame shells

The Flame shell is a particularly amazing species, building nests using byssus threads which knit the seabed together forming a reef sometimes many hectares in size. While the bright orange tentacle mollusc is on its own a very incredible wee creature, what it builds becomes home to 100's of other species.

Killer whale

Latin name: Orcinus orca
Global Distribution: Globally one of the most widespread cetaceans.
UK Distribution: Shetland, Orkney and west coast Scotland.
Size: Up to 9.8m long and 10 tonnes in …

Eurasian oyster catcher

Latin name: Haematopus ostralegus
Global Distribution: breeding grounds western Europe, central Eurasia, Kamchatka, China, and the western coast of Korea
UK Distribution: breeding grounds all UK coasts
Size: Length 40-45cm, …

Common seal

Latin name: Phoca vitulina
Global Distribution: Northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Baltic and North Seas
UK Distribution: Scotland, particularly in the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland, and England in …

Razor shell

Latin name: Ensis ensis
Global Distribution: Northen Europe.
UK Distribution: Common on all British coasts.
Size: up to 20cm in males and 15cm in females
Diet: Suspension feeder
Habitat: Coarse …

Curled Octopus

Latin name: Eledone cirrhosa
Global Distribution: From Norway South to the Mediterranean.
UK Distribution: All British and Irish coasts
Size: Approximately 50cm
Diet: Crabs, other large crustaceans, fish
Habitat: Rocky …

Arran’s Sea Life