Psolus phantapus

Wendy Northway try again - Can anyone help - my squirt knowledge is very low. Found in Loch Long in the 15 - 20m range

Frances Dipper I used to see loads of Ascidia virginea in Hebrideam sea lochs and think this is it but see what others say.

Darryl Mayer I'd agree with the above, Wendy. West coast lochs have these all around.

Wendy Northway thanks - I was going down that route, but was unsure as it is described as pale pink whereas these specimens were quite a vibrant pink. Thanks very much

Tony Gilbert Yes, completely agree. Loch Long is a great place eh Wendy.

Wendy Northway @Tony - Scotland does it for me, full stop!

Tony Gilbert Iam with you on that one Wendy! The sea lochs totally intrigue me. Firework anemones are wonderful to see Pachycerianthus multiplicatus, some can be 1m across and almost as high. In Loch Nevis/Hourn there is a field of them. We spotted a couple in Loch Long (west of Tighness) in June, but they start at 25m. And, Phosphorescent sea pens, Pennatula sp. they start at 30m, we got those in Loch Bonawe, and you get Nephrops with Fries gobies. I particularly like Psolus phantapus, they are rare, but we had about 4 in Loch Creran this year. I could do with more time to get up there, its 4.5hrs to Loch Long/Finnart from where we both are, so have to be content with local sites like Anglesey. But, heh, that's great as well. 3 weeks ago, I got a C. verrucosa on the Cable, last weekend, the vis. was nil, so didn't dive the Straits, and went to Vivian. Heh, and guess what, there are masses of freshwater hydroids still there, and I found a small shell, about 0.5mm across, so chuffed with that.

Darryl Mayer Loch Bonawe? Where's that one, Tony? As for Psolus phantapus, they are extremely widespread. Loch Etive (lovely nursery field of them on the south 80m wall), Loch Sunart, Loch Duich, Loch Creran (as you Happy to take you to see them anytime you're up in Bonny Scotland (as Wendy can attest to). Oh, I can show you Phosphorea sp. in only 10m if you like? And fields of Fireworks anemones starting at only 15m too (Loch Duich).

Tony Gilbert Sounds great, I guess it depends on the Loch, location and compostion.But, I meant that animals like P. phantapus, maybe locally widespread, but still rare in say NW Europe. Firework anemones we found scores, a field of them also. There are so many lochs to choose and dive; I've done a little of Sunart from boat, but Duich is still on my list.

Wendy Northway recommend Duich Tony - 8 hours from here but as Darryl says, the field was plentiful, also tall seaa pens to boot!

Darryl Mayer ...and John Dory juveniles... ;-)

Wendy Northway JD juveniles? Bring them on!

Darryl Mayer In only 12m, at the Ratagan YH (nearby) site where all three Scottish seapens also can be found in the same depth. Actually it's a decent training site too ;-) I'm planning on being there for a week in May. You coming?

Wendy Northway I think I might be! Will mp you!

James Lynott Is it possible to ID this sea cucumber? http://flic.kr/p/f9uDA4 On this particular dive I found dozens of these on the sand/mud/shell slope between around 10-20m depth along with a lot of Psolus phantapus. You can't see the body in my photo but I did see a number with the body exposed and it was white.

Erling Svensen I would say Thyone fusus. I see it now and then here in Norway.....

Erling Svensen My pictures shows that the body is quite white with red dots in the end with the tentacles.

James Lynott Thank you Erling, I had thought T. fusus but I wasn't too sure as on habitas it is described as having a brown body.

Bernard Picton There are several Thyone in the area which look similar. At present we can only distinguish them by checking the spicules in the skin.

James Lynott Thanks folks, really appreciate your input, I still have a lot to learn about identifying marine life and these facebook groups are a great resource.

Jim Anderson Psolus phantapus - Loch Creran, Scotland, 26 May 2013 This amazing site has hundreds of these animals between 12 and 26 metres.

Andy Horton Sea Cucumber, species ?

Bernard Picton Yes, this is Psolus phantapus. They are quite common in several of those Scottish sea lochs.

Andy Horton http://www.seawater.no/fauna/echinodermata/phantapus.html

Darryl Mayer I have entitled other shots (of mine) of the Sea Cucumbers so didn't bother in this album, but Psolus ph. they are... coming out in great numbers at this time of year. They appear to have been hibernating?