Although I just got back from an epic weekend in the Lake District (and I really should be writing a long post about that first), I did also just pop down to Devon to see this utterly wonderful creature - and I haven't got the patience to wait. This is the Fire-tipped Sea Slug Hermaea variopicta. A healthy population of these have been found by Jake Wood at Wembury Point and he was kind enough to show me some of them. Yet the tide was held back by low pressure and strong winds, and rain overnight made the water very murky. Nevertheless, Jake found two animals on their foodplant, the red seaweed Halurus flosculosus. I was surprised at how big this animal was, in fact we measured it at 3 cm! Jake did say it was likely the biggest one he had seen. Here are my best shots in rather poor light and murky water but you get the idea...
Look at that large, purple-rimmed white spot on the back! I had not noticed that in other pictures online.
That subtle flowing angle on the underside of each tentacle is a work of art! Whoever designed this thing needs an award.
I think this sea slug has the most beautiful head of anything I have ever seen! It really is quite something. Absolutely blown away by this encounter.
It wasn't the only thing I saw though, I found my first UK Spiny Squat Lobster Galathaea strigosa. The immatures of these things are really bright - and fast. I saw one just once two years ago on Jersey but never managed to even get a photo of it, I was gutted that I lost it. So I was really pleased with a bit of team work we managed to catch this one and get some good shots. What a beast!
Trumpet Anemone Aiptasia couchii was also a UK tick for me, something I have only seen on Jersey before.
Cirl Buntings were everywhere! What an amazing place. A huge thanks to Jake and it was great to briefly see John Walters again too. Mad to think that the 26 Spurilla neapolitana are old news now! Bonkers for something that only turned up in September 2025.
A quick update on the '6000 Species in 2026 challenge'. I am on 5,447 species for the year! That's 90.8%. I reckon I am gonna get there now, maybe not before New Year but I likely have enough material to get over the line. This was my 137th mollusc of the year, my target of 150 is unlikely to be reached but I am smashing it with other taxa such as moths (923), beetles (852) and arachnids (446).
Lord of the Rings fans might have got the reference in the blog title, Aragorn's sword is known as Andúril - the Flame of the West. That trip to the Lakes was a little too Middle Earthy at times. I will try and get a post out about that soon.
Posts
