This colonial creature looks like an old-fashioned quill - that's where the name sea pen comes from.

The black sea bream really is a fascinating fish. From sex changes to nest building, this fish is full of surprises!

The lightbulb sea squirt is common around much of the UK. Its easy to see where its name came from!

A small colourful sea slug that can be found grazing on sea mats on the rocky shore and beyond the low water mark.

This strange furry creature often found washed ashore after storms is actually a kind of worm!

These little critters are related to the woodlice you find in your garden and play a very important role on rocky shores.

These mat like growths found on kelp and seaweed are actually colonies of tiny individuals animals.

This large round urchin is sometimes found in rockpools, recognisable by its pink spiky shell (known as a test).

Despite its dazzling colouration, this fabulous nudibranch can be easily missed, due to its small size!

Traditionally a coastal species, Lesser sea-spurrey has spread inland, taking advantage of the winter-salting of our roads. Its pink-and-white flowers bloom in summer.