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What is this? Found on Rosslare beach.

  • 02-11-2011 3:25pm
    #1
    jtrred
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4 ✭


    Hi all,
    Can anyone tell me what this is, please?
    We found it while walking on a beach in Wexford on 2/11/11.
    It has the shape of a mussel, but is flat and has a blue perimeter.

    I've never seen anything like it before.
    Puzzled:confused:.
    JT
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    seagull
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,342 ✭✭✭seagull


    Is it definitely an animal? From those photos, it looks like a piece of old glass.


  • #3
    Mickeroo
    Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,531 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    I think it is actually a common/blue mussel shell.Althought the third photo looks like glass almost?

    feb21_blue_mussel_seaweed_tlm_66872.jpg?w=452&h=300


  • #4
    jtrred
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4 ✭jtrred


    Mickeroo wrote: »
    I think it is actually a common/blue mussel shell.Althought the third photo looks like glass almost?

    feb21_blue_mussel_seaweed_tlm_66872.jpg?w=452&h=300
    Definitely not glass! There were about 10 of them of various sizes. They are soft and the photos don't really show it, but they have a kind of 'frill' on the top, which I'm holding in the photo. The underside has small fine 'hairs' that look like it might stick it's self to rocks. Not a mussel either


  • #5
    Mickeroo
    Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,531 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    jtrred wrote: »
    Definitely not glass! There were about 10 of them of various sizes. They are soft and the photos don't really show it, but they have a kind of 'frill' on the top, which I'm holding in the photo. The underside has small fine 'hairs' that look like it might stick it's self to rocks. Not a mussel either

    They're soft? so there's no shell at all? I was going to say some kind of limpet but if there's not a shell I don't think that would be right. You wouldn't have any more pictures?


  • #6
    kylith
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,737 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    Dogfish egg cases, maybe? Also known as Mermaid's Purses.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mermaid%27s_purse


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  • #7
    donalg1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,513 ✭✭✭donalg1


    You dont know what they are so you pick them up!!!!


  • #8
    Labhaoise
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28 ✭Labhaoise


    Hi there,

    What you found are called By-the-wind-sailors! The latin name for them is Velella velella. They are hydrozoans, which are related to jellyfish and corals. They are open ocean species, which are sometimes washed up on shores. The frill which you refer to is what they use as a sail to determine which way they move and the hairs are tentacles which hang down from the oval disc- they use these to trap prey!
    Recent windy weather most likely washed them ashore!


  • #9
    SEANoftheDEAD
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 635 ✭✭✭SEANoftheDEAD


    Looks like an X-File...


  • #10
    skafish
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 392 ✭✭skafish


    Labhaoise wrote: »
    Hi there,

    What you found are called By-the-wind-sailors! The latin name for them is Velella velella. They are hydrozoans, which are related to jellyfish and corals. They are open ocean species, which are sometimes washed up on shores. The frill which you refer to is what they use as a sail to determine which way they move and the hairs are tentacles which hang down from the oval disc- they use these to trap prey!
    Recent windy weather most likely washed them ashore!
    Not very ususal to find them in Irish waters as far as I know


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