APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

Scroll down and rollover titles to change screen image or click on title to view image.

Shipworms
General Images
- what are shipworms 1

Shipworms
General Images
- habitat / in petrified branch 1

Shipworms
General Images
- habitat / petrified timber 1

Shipworms
General Images
- habitat / petrified timber 2

Shipworms
General Images
- habitat / petrified timber 3

Shipworms
General Images
- habitat / petrified timber 4

Shipworms
General Images
- habitat / petrified timber 5

Shipworms
General Images
- habitat / petrified timber 6

Shipworms
General Images
- tube lining 1

Shipworms
General Images
- tube concamerations 1

Shipworms
General Images
- tube lining / tube 1

Shipworms
General Images
- tube linings / tubes 1

Shipworms
General Images
- tapping out valves in log 1

Shipworms
General Images
- tapping out valves in log 2

Shipworms
General Images
- tapping out valves in log 3

Images mostly taken on a low spring tide south-west of Chyandour Rocks, Penzance, Cornwall. 31.08.11. Species featured is one of the common and more variable species Nototeredo (norvegica) norvagica, the Norway shipworm.

The fossilised timber in which the shipworms are found looks to be part of an ancient lake bed. Hazelnuts and Alder have been identified from this area, which largely consists of peat into which branches and tree bows have fallen.

Shipworms are notoriously difficult to identify and almost impossible to identify with any surity in the field. Also, many species of shipworm can be found together within a single colony, which is why the images have been placed in this 'general' section.

There are currently 11 species of shipworms that have been found in the UK, some are considered native, some are not. I say currently because there's always the chance of finding something new on wood that has floated around the Atlantic for some time.

Species found in the UK -
Lyrodus bipartitus
Lyrodus pedicellatus
Psiloteredo megotara
= Teredo navalis
Teredora malleolus
Teredothyra excavata
Bankia bipennata
Bankia fimbriatula
Bankia gouldi
Nausitora fusticula
Nototeredo norvagica
Spathoteredo spatha

Scientific and European Names:
Teredinidae, Shipworms, Paalwormen, Skeppsmaskar.

The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help

people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.

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