UK Seas

Discover the wonderful sea creatures that inhabit the UK seas and shores

UK seas is a guide to the fauna and flora found around UK coasts. While the majority of species are marine, some species are included that are regularly encountered on land by the coast, so you’ll find descriptions of non-marine species such as reptiles, amphibians, insects and plants as well.

Hornwrack

Flustra foliacea

Type

Bryozoans

Description

Looks like a dried seaweed, but actually a colony of hundreds of tiny animals called bryozoans, or “moss animals”.

Colonies grow for only parts of the year, so have growth marks a little like tree rings.

Location

Washed up on the beach, especially after storms.

Habitat

Strandline, Subtidal, Seabed