Gibbula cineraria

George Brown Is this Onchidoris muricata and Gibbula cineraria? The Onchidoris is about 8mm long. What should I be looking for? North Strome, Loch Carron. 5 metres depth. 2013-10-13.

Simon Taylor I'd say yes to both George, though I'm more qualified to comment on the Gibbula. The shape of the shell and frequency of coloured rays confirm that one.

George Brown Thank you Simon, Ian and Becky.

Becky Hitchin I'm in a quandary about this. It looks instinctively to me like Gibbula umbilicalis, but it's from east coast Scotland and I don't want Gib.umb up here! Is it a Gibbula cineraria masquerading as umbilicalis? Opinions gratefully received!

Inga Williamson Looks like G. cineraria to me, but I guess you'd want a better look at the underside as well

Becky Hitchin Maybe I'm just being over worried :) I'm going to go back to the bay when I can and have a good look at the top shells

Rachel Coppock Weston Yup, looks like G umbilicalis.... Need to check for a belly button on the underside! Keep us posted! Xx

Becky Hitchin Rachel Coppock Weston - was looking at toxa and microscleres today!

Holly Latham Hi Becky... it does look suspiciously like Gibbula umbilicalis, the colour isn't very bold but it is very flattened (G. cinearia tends to be taller, more rounded, certainly down in the SW). Did you look for an umbilicus on the underside? May be worth popping some photos across to Nova at the MBA and/or going back to hunt it down again...

Becky Hitchin Holly Latham, I just grabbed a photo without really thinking about it, just thinking "that doesn't look right", it was only after I got home that I actually thought about it *doh* Of course it's a blooming awkward shore to get to, half hour walk followed by sliding down a stinging nettle filled ravine from top of the cliffs to the bottom etc etc. But I'll send the pic to Nova, and get back to the shore as soon as it stops raining and makes it accessible again! If it is Gib.umb that's one heck of a movement north. But it does seem amazingly rapid to move.

Holly Latham Yep, would be interesting if they have made it that far! I hate those moments - for me it's usually things underwater that I photograph and forget to poke/ waft/ recompose and re-photograph!

Becky Hitchin Just so annoying, isn't it! I'm kicking myself that I didn't think more about it down there

Julia Nunn Gibbula cineraria everyone - thin grey stripes. umbilicalis has really broad purple stripes. The presence of an 'umbilicus' means nothing - both species have them. The use of the umbilicus as a diagnostic feature has led to many wrong ids

Dave Skingsley G.umbilicalis from the Scottish West Coast - Super stripes

Paula Lightfoot I'm doing a rocky shore display for school kids this weekend, I've got small aquaria with pumps and would like to put in seaweeds and some creatures. Can I collect things like periwinkles and topshells the day before and keep them overnight - how best to keep them in good condition? The event is right by the sea so I can put them back afterwards, but the tides are no good for me to collect them the same day.

David Kipling Cool and aerated should be fine. If you can get the water to 15oC or under that will stop heat stress and help keep the oxygen levels up. Warm tubs with no bubbling soon become hypoxic (gases dissolve better in cooler water).

David Kipling Just don't leave them next to the M&S sushi roll selection :)

Paula Lightfoot Thanks - that was what I was wondering really whether to put them in the fridge or just a cool place like the garage.

Claire Goodwin Paula when we've done this we've used large tubs, as David says aerated (we just use those portable battery operated aquarium pumps). If you can't fit them in fridge ice packs in water work to keep them cool. Rock pool stuff is pretty tough. Watch out for things crawling out of the tubs though into your garage....

David Kipling ... or fridge ...

Paula Lightfoot the aquaria have lids so no escapees i hope! ice packs are a good idea thanks

Simon Taylor I remember once inadvertently filling a holiday cottage with Gibbula cineraria. We were finding them for days after!

Julia Nunn Yes you can keep topshells overnight â€" keep cool, and cover the container they are in or they try to escape. Do not try to collect sponges â€" broken pieces will poison any sea water.

Becky Hitchin I'm in a quandary about this. It looks instinctively to me like Gibbula umbilicalis, but it's from east coast Scotland and I don't want Gib.umb up here! Is it a Gibbula cineraria masquerading as umbilicalis? Opinions gratefully received!

Inga Williamson Looks like G. cineraria to me, but I guess you'd want a better look at the underside as well

Becky Hitchin Maybe I'm just being over worried :) I'm going to go back to the bay when I can and have a good look at the top shells

Rachel Coppock Weston Yup, looks like G umbilicalis.... Need to check for a belly button on the underside! Keep us posted! Xx

Becky Hitchin Rachel Coppock Weston - was looking at toxa and microscleres today!

Holly Latham Hi Becky... it does look suspiciously like Gibbula umbilicalis, the colour isn't very bold but it is very flattened (G. cinearia tends to be taller, more rounded, certainly down in the SW). Did you look for an umbilicus on the underside? May be worth popping some photos across to Nova at the MBA and/or going back to hunt it down again...

Becky Hitchin Holly Latham, I just grabbed a photo without really thinking about it, just thinking "that doesn't look right", it was only after I got home that I actually thought about it *doh* Of course it's a blooming awkward shore to get to, half hour walk followed by sliding down a stinging nettle filled ravine from top of the cliffs to the bottom etc etc. But I'll send the pic to Nova, and get back to the shore as soon as it stops raining and makes it accessible again! If it is Gib.umb that's one heck of a movement north. But it does seem amazingly rapid to move.

Holly Latham Yep, would be interesting if they have made it that far! I hate those moments - for me it's usually things underwater that I photograph and forget to poke/ waft/ recompose and re-photograph!

Becky Hitchin Just so annoying, isn't it! I'm kicking myself that I didn't think more about it down there

Julia Nunn Gibbula cineraria everyone - thin grey stripes. umbilicalis has really broad purple stripes. The presence of an 'umbilicus' means nothing - both species have them. The use of the umbilicus as a diagnostic feature has led to many wrong ids

Dave Skingsley G.umbilicalis from the Scottish West Coast - Super stripes