Mysterious 'green alien' on North Wales beach that can eat victims three times its own body length
A mysterious creature with shimmering spikes caused a sharp intake of breath after being spotted on a North Wales beach. When photos were shared online, some people likened it a fossil, others to some kind of 'alien'. All confessed to have never seen anything like it before.
Covered in bristles, making it appear furry, the half foot-long creature was found by dog walker Simon Parker on Pensarn Beach, Conwy. Not knowing what it was, and seeing its fringe flash green, he used Google Lens to identify it as a Sea Mouse.
'I found it at the water's edge just after low tide," he said. "Unfortunately, it didn't appear to be alive. The Sea Mouse was approximately five or six inches long with brightly coloured bristles down the sides.'
Sea Mice are not uncommon but they are rarely seen, occasionally washing up on beaches in rough weather, or stranded by very low tides. By coincidence, another sandy fur-ball was found in March on Oxwich beach, Swansea.
The stunned reaction to seeing one at Pensarn would not have surprised the Wildlife Trusts, which said the Sea Mouse is 'unlike anything else in the sea'. Although it can grow to 20cm long and 6cm wide, it's actually a marine worm.
Despite its habit of lying buried head-first in the sand, it's a critter with a very special skillset. Its spines usually have a deep red sheen, warning off predators. But when light shines on them, they flash blue, green and gold, giving the worm a shimmering, iridescent fringe.
It's a phenomenon called pseudo-birefringence, the only known example of 'photonic engineering' in nature. As the spines process light with almost 100% efficiency – needed in the sea's murky depths – some researchers believe this talent may give way to new communication technologies.
If you ever find one, you can see its fibre-optic opulence for yourself. Pop it in a vessel of seawater and the magic will appear: a groovy, psychedelic display completely at odds with its slightly creepy appearance.
Why is a worm called a mouse? It's thought the name stems from looking like a bedraggled mouse when washed up on shore.
Its Latin name, Aphrodita aculeata, is just as bizarre. While aculeata means 'spiny', the genus name refers to Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love – apparently because the worms resemble women's genitalia.
The Sea Mouse is an active predator of small crabs. It also preys on other worms, able to eat victims more than three times its own body length.
Occasionally they are spotted wriggling across the sand, invariably an unnerving sight for beachgoers. They are not generally harmful to people, though their sharp bristles that can cause irritation if they puncture the skin.
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North Wales Live
20 hours ago
- North Wales Live
Mysterious 'green alien' on North Wales beach that can eat victims three times its own body length
A mysterious creature with shimmering spikes caused a sharp intake of breath after being spotted on a North Wales beach. When photos were shared online, some people likened it a fossil, others to some kind of 'alien'. All confessed to have never seen anything like it before. Covered in bristles, making it appear furry, the half foot-long creature was found by dog walker Simon Parker on Pensarn Beach, Conwy. Not knowing what it was, and seeing its fringe flash green, he used Google Lens to identify it as a Sea Mouse. 'I found it at the water's edge just after low tide," he said. "Unfortunately, it didn't appear to be alive. The Sea Mouse was approximately five or six inches long with brightly coloured bristles down the sides.' Sea Mice are not uncommon but they are rarely seen, occasionally washing up on beaches in rough weather, or stranded by very low tides. By coincidence, another sandy fur-ball was found in March on Oxwich beach, Swansea. The stunned reaction to seeing one at Pensarn would not have surprised the Wildlife Trusts, which said the Sea Mouse is 'unlike anything else in the sea'. Although it can grow to 20cm long and 6cm wide, it's actually a marine worm. Despite its habit of lying buried head-first in the sand, it's a critter with a very special skillset. Its spines usually have a deep red sheen, warning off predators. But when light shines on them, they flash blue, green and gold, giving the worm a shimmering, iridescent fringe. It's a phenomenon called pseudo-birefringence, the only known example of 'photonic engineering' in nature. As the spines process light with almost 100% efficiency – needed in the sea's murky depths – some researchers believe this talent may give way to new communication technologies. If you ever find one, you can see its fibre-optic opulence for yourself. Pop it in a vessel of seawater and the magic will appear: a groovy, psychedelic display completely at odds with its slightly creepy appearance. Why is a worm called a mouse? It's thought the name stems from looking like a bedraggled mouse when washed up on shore. Its Latin name, Aphrodita aculeata, is just as bizarre. While aculeata means 'spiny', the genus name refers to Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love – apparently because the worms resemble women's genitalia. The Sea Mouse is an active predator of small crabs. It also preys on other worms, able to eat victims more than three times its own body length. Occasionally they are spotted wriggling across the sand, invariably an unnerving sight for beachgoers. They are not generally harmful to people, though their sharp bristles that can cause irritation if they puncture the skin.
South Wales Argus
a day ago
- South Wales Argus
What we can see in the sky this coming week
Noctilucent clouds, (NLCs), make for an interesting spectacle after sunset, observable with the naked eye and quite eerie in appearance. Around two hours after the Sun has set and looking above the northwest horizon, watch for wispy threads of cloud with a distinct blue and silver tinge to them. Taken from the Latin for 'night-shining', NLCs are formed by sunlight reflecting off high-altitude ice crystals that are positioned right on the edge of space. The time period after sunset is crucial if we are to catch NLCs, as around 90 minutes to two hours after the Sun has dipped below the horizon is when the necessary angle occurs for sunlight to catch the crystals and illuminate that part of the sky with this enchanting effect. The beautiful and captivating sight sees the highest clouds in our atmosphere, about 50 miles above the Earth's surface, seem to glow and shimmer with this mesmerizing blue or silvery guise. In the summertime the mesosphere, (the third layer of the Earth's atmosphere where meteorites burn up), becomes cold enough to allow ice to form on suspended dust particles that are floating around in the clouds. These particles may originate from meteorites falling from space, but equally so from other sources, possible volcanic, with the recent Mount Etna eruption billowing tons of debris into the atmosphere. In fact, the first NLCs observations were recorded in 1885, two years after the eruption of Krakatoa, which may or may not have something to do with their appearance. Eruptions aside, rockets that have blasted off from Earth leave particle emissions from their exhaust systems, all contributing to the array of debris circulating in our atmosphere. NLC's have been given a different name when seen from space looking back on Earth; polar mesospheric clouds, or (PMCs). However, the Earth is not the only place NLC's have been witnessed. Launched in June 2003, Mars Express was not only the first European mission to Mars, but the first planetary mission operated entirely by Europe. There were reports of NLC's made three years into the Mars Express mission in 2006, with NASA's Curiosity Mars rover confirming the presence of NLC's in 2019. Readers may well recall all the media hype over Asteroid 2024 YR4, which earlier this year was once considered the highest impact risk to Earth ever recorded. Earlier this week, NASA announced that previously collected data on the asteroid that has been reanalysed now reveals that the 174 to 220 feet-long chunk of rock is more likely to hit the Moon in 2032. During the week ahead, watch for Mars in the evening sky as it moves its way slowly night by night, left to right, above the bright star Regulus in the constellation of Leo, the Lion, situated above the western horizon. The International Space Station continues its early summer break and cannot be seen across our region at present. Send your astrophotography pictures to: thenightsky@
Western Telegraph
06-06-2025
- Western Telegraph
Spiny Dogfish: 75-year-old shark living in shallow UK waters
You may think that stumbling across a shark when taking a trip to the beach is rare with most species spending their time further out to sea. However, there are some sharks that can be found in shallow waters near the UK shoreline, like the Small Spotted Catshark and Spiny Dogfish. Native wild animals in the UK One of the longest-living sharks lurking in shallow waters in the UK Spiny Dogfish, also known as Spurdog Sharks, are one of the most common sharks in the UK, according to BBC Countryfile. This is despite a decline in population over recent years, caused by overfishing. They are also one of the longest-living shark species, with a lifespan of up to 75 years, Wildlife Trusts adds. Spiny Dogfish can live for up to 75 years. (Image: Getty Images) How to spot a Spiny Dogfish Spiny Dogfish can grow up to 1.6 metres in length and weigh 9.1kg. The shark can be distinguished by its pointed snout, large eyes, and spines in front of its dorsal fins, Wildlife Trusts said. The wildlife experts added: "Its streamlined body is a grey/brown colour on top with a lighter belly and rows of white spots down its sides." Are Spiny Dogfish dangerous? Spiny Dogfish, aka Spurdog Sharks, live off a diet of fish, squid, jellyfish and crustations, according to BBC Countryfile. They are also known to sometimes feed on smaller sharks. But Spiny Dogfish are considered "harmless" to humans, Oceana added. RECOMMENDED READING: Where you'll find Spiny Dogfish in the UK Spiny Dogfish are a migratory species that spend the winter months in deep waters, before making their way to shallow coastal waters in the summer. They are most commonly found, according to Wildlife Trusts, in: The Irish Sea Northeast Atlantic You will also find Spurdog Sharks in "temperate waters" around the world.
