There’s been lots of these fellas in my samples recently. Larvae of polychaetes (bristle worms) from the family Capitellidae.

#marineplankton 🦑🔬

A hydroid polyp in timelapse. Hydroids are part of the phylum Cnidaria (jellyfish, hydroids, sea anemones, corals).

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A striking red Platyhelminthes (flatworm) from a recent plankton sample.

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I had another scale worm larva in my sample! Such a bizarre creature!

#marineplankton 🦑🔬

A big THANK YOU to everyone who has purchased a tee from The Plankton Project @teemillstore ! 100% of the y profit goes towards running the CIC and no where else. These tees are still available (link in bio), but what plankton do you suggest we put of a t-shirt next? Comment below!⬇️ #marineplankton

Can you see the hitchhiker? Unlike me, this little Epicaridea (parasitic isopod) hasn’t paid his travel fare, and is using this copepod as both a means of transport, and lunch! I think he’s rather cute tbh.

#marineplankton 🔬🦑

Some very enthusiastic Obelia sp. (Hydrozoa) medusae in this week’s sample. I hardly ever get to see them so active! The medusa is the sexual stage of some cnidarians.

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Such a handsome copepod nauplius! I /think/ this could be a nauplius from the family Siphonostomatoida.

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ystery worm time! This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this worm, and I’m still none the wiser as to what it is. If anyone knows, let me know!

#marineplankton 🦑🔬

An absolutely chocker sample this week! Always lovely to see baby sea gooseberries!
#marineplankton 🦑🔬

This is great.
Thanks.
Have you got or thought about doing this on YouTube?
I think a lot of folk would watch it.
I would.
😄🔬🦠🧬
#marineplankton
#biology
#science

Lots of tintinnids in my samples at the moment.

#marineplankton 🦑🔬

Good morning! It’s sample day! #marineplankton 🦑🔬

Hello sunshine! 🌞. Hydrozoa medusa from the genus Obelia looking stunning under polarised light.

#marineplankton 🔬🦑

The sand mason worms (Lanice concheliga) are still appearing every now and again in my plankton samples. The worms have larval stages in the plankton, with their own little tubes!

#marineplankton 🦑🔬

Ooooh I’ve seen copepods living in my slop tank! I shall take a sample tomorrow and see what they are. #marineplankton 🦑🔬

I’ve discovered that Synchaeta sp. rotifers look lovely under polarised light!

🔬🦑 #marineplankton

What a little cutie chubby sea spider bubby. This is a protonymphon (a larval stage) of a sea spider. I love those little grabby claws!
🦑🔬 #marineplankton

It’s time to update the UK plankton snapshot map! #marineplankton 🦑🔬 #scicomm