News
Diving with British Marine Life: the European Spider Crab
If you’ve dived in the UK chances are you’ve encountered a European spider crab (Maja brachydactyla). While often overlooked, these crabs display a wide range of behaviours making them brilliant photography subjects and great characters to observe on a dive.
M. brachydactyla is found on the South and West Coast of England and Ireland and is the largest spider crab in the UK. European spider crabs are characterised by their red-yellow body colouration and triangular carapace bearing two distinct frontal spines between the eyes. The claws are relatively narrow with white tips, while their walking legs have dark tips.
Their carapace is covered in tiny barbs, which they use to fix an array of algae in order to ‘decorate’ a fresh moult. Such behaviour is well documented in majid crabs and helps to camouflage their bright exoskeletons. Paul Naylor, marine biologist, photographer and author of Great British Marine Animals, showcases this decorative behaviour on his Vimeo profile.
As well as actively masking their exoskeleton, spider crabs play host to a wide range of epibionts. Sessile organisms such as barnacles, anemones and tunicates settle onto their carapace in their larval stage. This relationship is known as mutualistic; the host benefits from protection from predators via camouflage, and the epibionts (an organism that lives on the surface of another organism) are exposed to sediment resuspended by the host, protection from slow moving predators, and better dispersion of offspring.
Documentary worthy aggregations of spider crabs also occur close to shore around the UK; but surprisingly these dense aggregations, also known as mounds, are driven by moulting rather than breeding. I am yet to witness this phenomenon, but look forward to the day I do!
Hear more from Georgie here: https://georgiebullphotography.home.blog/
Whether freediving or diving – everyone cuts a great figure in the new camouflage suits from DYNAMICNORD.
Thanks to the specially designed camouflage pattern in beautiful colours, the new two-piece
SFS-3 and SFS-5 apnea suits are perfect for freediving. The design gives freedivers the chance to observe underwater creatures from a shorter distance.
Due to the robust and high-quality Yamamoto neoprene and high-quality workmanship, the SFS-3 and SFS-5 are also suitable for scuba diving or other water sports.
As the names suggest, the suits are available in 3 or 5mm neoprene thickness. A combination of high-quality Yamamoto #39/45 Limestone neoprene is used. This material is characterised by its special lightness and flexibility. The suits are extremely flexible and comfortable to wear while providing maximum thermal insulation. The outer flex lamination supports the ultra 4-way stretch. Thanks to the open cells, the suits fit like a second skin.
The double-clip beaver tail is a convenient system for donning and doffing. Reinforced knees and rear ensure the necessary robustness. The vented hood allows excess air to escape.
The MC-15 freediving mask and SC-10 freediving snorkel with camouflage pattern as well as the AF-70 freediving fins are available in matching colours.
The camouflage SFS-3 and SFS-5 apnea suits are now available from DYNAMICNORD dealers in great colours and unisex sizes.
SFS-3
Recommended sales price: £264.00
Sizes unisex: S-2XL
Colours: camo/blue, camo/green
SFS-5
Recommended sales price: £353.00
Sizes unisex: S-2XL
Colours: camo/blue, camo/green
DYNAMICNORD – Your Outdoor Companion.
The GO Diving Show – the only consumer dive and travel show in the UK – returns to the NAEC Stoneleigh on 1-2 March 2025, just in time to kick off the new season, and early bird 2-for-1 tickets are now available, representing fantastic value for money.
Buy your ticket before 31 January 2025 for £17.50, and get your buddy, your spouse or your best friend in with you absolutely free! Or why not bring that non-diving mate along so they can see all of the wonders of the underwater world they are missing out on!
Effectively, the 2-for-1 offer equates to each ticket being just £8.75. And as always, this includes complimentary parking. And under-16s go free of charge, so bring the kids along for a fabulous family day out!
The Main Stage headline presenter is TV star, author and adventurer Steve Backshall, making a welcome return to the GO Diving Show after a few years away. He’ll be joined by NASA-trained NEEMO Aquanaut and Head of Scientific Research at DEEP Dawn Kernagis, fellow TV presenter, author and perennial favourite Monty Halls, and the dynamic duo of explorers Rannva Joermundsson and Maria Bollerup, who will be talking about their recent Expedition Buteng in Indonesia.
The dedicated UK Stage, Tech Stage, Photo Stage and Inspiration Stage are filling up with some familiar faces and a host of fresh speakers, and the show floor is getting fill to capacity with hundreds of exhibitors, including tour operators, resorts, dive centres, liveaboards, tourist boards, training agencies, manufacturers, retailers, and the ever-popular British Isles Experience.
You can take advantage of the Go Diving Show 2-for-1 ticket deal here.
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