@dassh-at-the-mba.bsky.social
The Archive for Marine Species and Habitats Data are a flagship initiative of the Marine Biological Association @thembauk.bsky.social , and are accredited through the Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) https://www.dassh.ac.uk
👀 iNaturalist Observation of the Month 📷
Spotted on Cornwall’s north coast - two grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) captured by user monochan 🦭
It’s pupping & breeding season in the SW UK, so tensions rise as bulls battle for mates & cows guard pups 🍼
Log your sightings on iNat 👉 buff.ly/7oAGKyd
🪸Tricky Taxon Thursday: Cliona celata🪸
the boring sponge creates a vibrant yellow, sizeable wall-like structure of papillae, boring into limestone. It is crucial in marine ecosystems for recycling calcium carbonate to sustain reefs. 🌊🧽 Explore 5000+ records on our DASSH mapper 👇
🌊 Dive into marine data with MEDIN at the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland Annual Science Meeting!
📅 20th Nov '25 | 📍Glasgow
💡 Hands-on workshop, no experience needed!
🎯 For students, researchers & marine pros
🔗 Register: buff.ly/WCmO8zu
📧 enquiries@medin.org.uk
📹 DASSHcam Diaries 🎬
Chloe & Julie joined the 3rd DTO-BioFlow General Assembly in Ostrava, advancing the Digital Twin of the Ocean 🌊🌍
DASSH are helping to unlock “sleeping data” from iNaturalist, eBird & new tech like plankton imaging 🧬 — all toward smarter ocean management & biodiversity goals 🦑💙
🪸Tricky taxon Thursday: Octopus vulgaris🪸
Known for intelligence and adaptability, the common octopus camouflages to evade predators, uses a venomous beak to eat, and can solve puzzles and use tools. With 3 hearts, blue blood, and color-shifting abilities, it is a marine marvel. See 32 records 👇
I’m afraid I don’t know. But you can check how long she’s previously been in port via this link: www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/deta... :)
15.10.2025 07:16 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
It's not every day that RRS Sir David Attenborough (aka the legendary Boaty McBoatFace) cruises past the office 👀🚢
@thembauk.bsky.social #DASSH #SirDavidAttenborough #Plymouth
📊 New marine datasets now on the DASSH Mapper!
🆕 Includes:
• 2013 MBA Crassostrea gigas survey
• 2022 Seasearch ReMEDIES (Hampshire & IoW)
• 2023 WMU Macrophyte Survey
• 2024 NRW Non-native Species Records
🔗 www.dassh.ac.uk/dasshmapper
#DASSH #MarineData @thembauk.bsky.social
📢 New datasets now live on the DASSH Mapper!
🗂️ Including:
• 1882 RV Travailleur (NE Atlantic)
• 1996 Jennycliff & Batten Bay survey
• 2012 MBA Cawsand Bioblitz
• 2021–24 Berwickshire intertidal surveys
🔗 www.dassh.ac.uk/dasshmapper
#DASSH #MarineData @thembauk.bsky.social
🌏 International Data Week is happening from 13-16 Oct 2025! 📊
This year's theme - Data for Positive Change: Empowering Communities and Advancing Research - highlights how ethical, collaborative, and innovative data use can drive impact across science and society.
Learn more: idw2025.org
📈 🌊 New marine data published!!🌊 📈
Discover our latest published datasets with 5 new datasets from the 2025 Environment Agency data for the UK marine strategy's Article 8 biodiversity assessment,
accessible through the MEDIN portal now! 🌍https://portal.medin.org.uk/portal/start.php 🔍 #MarineData
🪸Tricky Taxon Thursday: Sabellaria alveolata 🪸
The honeycomb worm, a polychaete, constructs protective tubes from sand and shell fragments, creating a honeycomb pattern reef, supporting up to 38 other species and are common on the south and west coasts of the UK. Explore 5000+ records here 👇
The Biological Data Management 2025 course, by the Flemish Marine Institute and OceanTeacher Global Academy, is self-paced and available online until November 2025. Providing essential data management skills for students, researchers, and data enthusiasts. Sign up now!👉 oceanexpert.org/event/4846
24.09.2025 11:09 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
🌊 🐟 Welcome back to Sea Spectacles! 🪼 🫧
This month’s star is the mauve stinger - a glowing jellyfish with long, stinging tentacles! 🪼 Its vibrant bell is covered in tiny cells that deliver a powerful sting. ✨
@thembauk.bsky.social #DASSH #SeaSpectacles #MauveStinger
We’ve just published a new blog on iNaturalist UK, featuring marine species to spot in late summer - plus tips on where and how to find them along our coastlines. It’s your perfect guide to making the most of the season’s marine wonders. 🪼
🌊 Dive into the full post here: buff.ly/UARJFek
🪸Tricky Taxon Thursday: Sabella spallanzanii 🪸
The European fan worm, native to the NE Atlantic and Mediterranean, thrives in calm, nutrient-rich waters. It builds sandy tubes and filters plankton with its tentacle crown. Females release up to 50,000 eggs each season. See 47 records here 👇
✨📊Celebrating incredible women in data!📊✨
We applaud the Woman in Data group, a charity supporting women in data, and our DASSH data team for their contributions to marine data🐟. With only 1 in 5 data professionals being women, let's empower more women in data!📈 @thembauk.bsky.social
#WomenInData
👀 Seen a slipper lobster? 🦞 Let us know!
The small but distinctive Scyllarus arctus is rarely spotted in UK waters, and every sighting helps build a better picture of its range.
📍 If you’ve seen one, send a photo, and details of the sighting to dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk
📷 Sean M Dixon #DASSH
💬 We’d love to hear from you!
Your feedback helps us improve how we share and manage marine data. If you’ve accessed or contributed data to DASSH, please take a few minutes to fill out our short feedback form:
👉 buff.ly/5qHDdYA
Thank you for helping us make DASSH even better! 🌊📊
📷 Ellen Jones
🪸Tricky Taxon Thursday: Ericaria selaginoides 🪸
The rainbow wrack, or magic seaweed, changes from brown to blue-green when submerged. It has a sturdy stipe with spiky branches, reaching 60 cm. Often found in tidal pools along the southern and western UK coasts. See 709 records here 👇
🚨 Invasive Alert: Mitten Crabs 🦀⚠️
They may look cute with their furry claws, but these East Asian crabs are invading new waters and harming native ecosystems. If you see one, report it!
Find out more 👉 buff.ly/WH3JRMt
📷 Mark Rowley #DASSH #MarineData #MittenCrab @thembauk.bsky.social
🌊 🐟 Welcome back to Sea Spectacles! 🪼 🫧
Dive into the underwater world with this month's feature: the Moon Jellyfish!🌙 These common jellies drift with the currents, showcasing the ocean's simple beauty 🪼
@thembauk.bsky.social #MoonJellyfish #SeaSpectacles #OceanLife
🪸Tricky Taxon Thursday: clibanarius erythropus 🪸
The St Piran’s crab, a hermit crab up to 30mm, lives in empty Dogwhelk shells. Preferring warm waters, it has recently reappeared in the UK, and has blue patterns. Named after Saint Piran, a hermit who survived being cast to sea. See 6 records here👇
🌊 New marine biodiversity data just dropped on the DASSH mapper! 🐚
🔹 2022 MBA Mount Batten Bioblitz
🔹 First UK sighting of Berghia coerulescens
🔹 2022–2024 UK oyster aquaculture sediment surveys
🔗 Dive in: www.dassh.ac.uk/dasshmapper
@thembauk.bsky.social #DASSH #MarineData
📷 Ellen Jones
🐙 Why Are We Seeing So Many Octopuses? 👀
We've just published a blog diving into the possible reasons behind the apparent surge in octopus sightings along the Southwest coast recently. If you’re curious about marine life, or just love octopuses, this one’s for you!
👉 Read here: buff.ly/5vfPbWA
🪸Tricky Taxon Thursday: caryophyllia smithii🪸
The Devonshire cup coral is a solitary species, ~2.5cm & <80 tentacles. Often mistaken for anemones, a hard body makes it a coral. It has 2 forms: var. smithii -found <100m deep & var. clavus -found 50-1000m & smaller/Narrower. See 540 records here👇
📱🦀 Turn Your Beach Stroll into a Wildlife Discovery! 🌍🔍
✨Download the free iNaturalist app and join a global community of nature lovers. Simply snap a photo of any plant or animal life and the app will help you identify it, log it, and contribute to real scientific research.🙌🔗https://buff.ly/hJa1XQk
🎉 Big Rock Pool Challenge: BioBlitz Festival 2025 🦀🌊
Join @therockpoolproject.bsky.social
19–20 Sept for 24hrs of coastal wildlife recording, talks, workshops & outdoor fun!
🌍 Our Coast. Our Climate. Our Future. 🌿
Night rock pooling, snorkelling, citizen science & more!
👉 Sign up: buff.ly/2Coj0d7
🪸Tricky Taxon Thursday: Aplysia punctata🪸
Dotted sea hares 🐌 have internal shells & ‘bunny ear’ rhinophores. They're hermaphrodites & can form mating chains! Diet affects colour - green seaweed = green hue.
📍2463 records: bit.ly/455hwuy
🪸 Tricky Taxon Thursday: Scyliorhinus stellaris 🪸
The Nursehound catshark, a nocturnal benthic shark up to 160 cm. Females lay eggs on seaweed/rocks, hatch in 5-11 months. Also named the greater-spotted catshark, bull huss, and rough hound shark, it's found in all UK waters. See 391 records here👇
