APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

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Rockling fry / Mackerel midge
possibly Ciliata mustela
- lateral view anterior 1

Rockling fry / Mackerel midge
possibly Ciliata mustela
- lateral view head 1

Rockling fry / Mackerel midge
possibly Ciliata mustela
- lateral view head 2

Rockling fry / Mackerel midge
possibly Ciliata mustela
- in container / fins 1

Two juveniles were found stranded in a pool on the bar at Treath, Helford, Cornwall, 27.05.17.

Rockling fry / Mackerel midge
possibly Ciliata mustela
- head 1

Rockling fry / Mackerel midge
possibly Ciliata mustela
- dorsal fin 1

Rockling fry / Mackerel midge
possibly Ciliata mustela
- tail fin 1

Rockling fry / Mackerel midge
possibly Ciliata mustela
- lateral view 1

Rockling fry / Mackerel midge
possibly Ciliata mustela
- washed-up 1

Specimen sadly found dead in a sandy pool at Albert Reef, Penzance, Cornwall, 03.07.15.

Rockling are unusual in that they start life as fish shaped silvery fry that swim on the surface, hence their common name Mackerel Midge. As Rockling fry mature their shape and colour changes and they become darker, rounder in shape and bottom living.

Doug Herdson thinks the specimen here is of a fry of the Five-bearded rockling, Ciliata mustela.

The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help

people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.