Little green snot balls

[hazey]

I have always wondered and now I have a place to ask. What grows out of the little green snot balls you see stuck on kelp etc? Sorry I can't think of a better way to describe them! Last time I saw them was Trail Island in the Clyde, fairly shallow.

[vics]

Hi hazey

someone told me they were dogfish eggs, don't know if that's right or not though?

vics

[Helen F H]

I think they are eggs of some kind too. Ask Dr Stevil. He knows everything.

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by vics

Hi hazey

someone told me they were dogfish eggs, don't know if that's right or not though?

vics

I think the dogfish eggs or sometimes called Mermaid's purses are white in colour and are peapod shaped (I know I haven't described this verywell) and are attached to kelp.

Found a better explaination for Dogfish eggs - Mermaids' purses are the egg cases of dogfish and rays, both relatives of the shark. The egg cases have long curling strings at the corners that are used to fix them to rocks.
Out at sea the egg hatches and a very young dogfish or ray can be seen developing inside. When the fish is old enough it will break out of the egg case and swim free. This is why mermaids' purses always have holes in the side. Mermaids' purses are the egg cases of dogfish and rays, both relatives of the shark. The egg cases have long curling strings at the corners that are used to fix them to rocks.

[Helen F H]

Noooo these are squidgy transparent blobby bits sometimes stuck to kelp or rocks. About 2cm accross from my reckoning, and kinda teardrop shaped with the narrowest bit stuck to the rock. They do look like snot.

[Fiona]

Helen dear that's what I meant, it was vics that thought the green snotty balls were dogfish eggs.

SteveW I think that Seasearch course is more needed than you think

[Dr Stevil]

They are the egg masses of a polychaete worm (ie the same group as ragworms and lugworms) called Phyllodoce mucosa, it has no common name. Can't find any pix via Google but I know the things you're talking about

[hazey]

Glad I know now - has been bothering me for ages.

Thanks