Could crab sightings show climate change effects in Dorset?

Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) marine wardens have confirmed sightings of the anemone shrimp and furrowed crab at Kimmeridge on the Jurassic Coast.

Both are not usually found along this part of the coast, with the furrowed crab, in particular, normally found further west in Devon, preferring warmer waters.

DWT says the anemone shrimp is an exotic looking relative of our common prawns that was first recorded on mainland Britain in 2007.

It lives within the stinging tentacles of the snakelocks anemone, a very common rock pool and shallow water animal.

With its almost transparent body it can be quite difficult to spot but divers have been finding lots of these tiny shrimps recently at Swanage, and now, at Kimmeridge.

Julie Hatcher, Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Wild Seas Centre officer, said “Snakelocks anenome are abundant at Kimmeridge.

"We have often looked but never found the anemone shrimps until now and we’re really interested to find out where else in Dorset these shrimps are found.”

On the furrowed crab Julie said: "This is an indicator of climate change affecting marine life. As it prefers warmer water it is currently restricted to west and southwest coasts in the UK but would be expected to spread east and north with warming seas.”

While both of these animals are native to the UK and the north east Atlantic area, an invasive crab from the Pacific Ocean was recently discovered in Dorset for the first time – the Asian shore crab.

It was first recorded in the UK in 2000 and only three confirmed specimens have so far been recorded.

Julie said: “Rockpooling is a fun and fascinating activity but now, with all these new animals to be found, it is even more exciting.

"We would ask people to take photos where possible and report their sightings to us so we can keep track of these changes happening in our seas.

"We don’t yet know what impact the newcomers will have on our long-established wildlife and would like to keep an eye on them.”