Elizabeth Beston
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elizabethbeston.bsky.social
Elizabeth Beston
@elizabethbeston.bsky.social
Marine plankton, home educator, biology undergrad, autistic, non binary. Norfolk UK. Runs The Plankton Project
linktr.ee/elizabethbeston
A big chunk of plastic fibres in my sample this week. Striking colour!
#marineplankton 🦑
December 9, 2025 at 5:55 PM
And purely by chance, 115 nematodes added today too! #marineplankton 🦑
December 9, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Phew! 155 examples of the genus Bellerochea, covering B. horologicalis, B. malleus, and B. malleus f. biangulata, renamed and logged for the Norfolk Plankton Image Library. #marineplankton 🦑
December 9, 2025 at 12:58 PM
This is a different individual but same taxa
December 9, 2025 at 11:49 AM
There have been so many of these little Cyclopoida copepods in my samples the last few months. I’d love to know the species, if anyone has any idea?
#marineplankton 🦑
December 8, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Sample day! #marineplankton 🦑
December 8, 2025 at 9:01 AM
The smallest Squishmallow ever! I think this is a Capitellidae larva (Polychaete - bristle worm) and it’s super squishy!
#marineplankton 🦑
December 7, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Right. Back to it. 89 Acartia discaudata copepods and 115 colonies of Bacillaria paxillifera logged and in the NPIL database. 💪 #marineplankton 🦑
December 7, 2025 at 12:38 PM
You beautiful, slinky worm, you! A Xenacoela - I don’t know much about these guys, but I think this one is gorgeous! Thanks @microbe_guru for the ID.
#marineplankton 🦑
December 6, 2025 at 10:28 PM
I’m looking forward to getting stuck into this! ‘Atlas of Marine Invertebrate Larvae’ eds M.Boyle, C.Young and M.Sewell
December 5, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Can anyone confirm that this is an N5 of Sacculina carcini? #marineplankton #crustacean 🦑
December 4, 2025 at 8:26 PM
I’m FABULOUS, says this polychaete (bristle worm) larva!

#marineplankton 🦑
December 4, 2025 at 5:50 PM
It’s a baby! This copepod nauplius has just hatched and swims its first strokes 🥹.
#marineplankton 🦑
December 3, 2025 at 9:55 PM
It’s only now I’m realising how many images I’ve accrued- I’ve photographed 118 individual Acartia clausi copepods! #marineplankton 🦑
December 3, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Oooh I’m on a roll! Diatom Attheya armata is also done! Added to the NPIL database. #marineplankton 🦑
December 3, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Halacaridae mites are DONE. Images and videos of 42 different specimens ready for the Norfolk Plankton Image Library #marineplankton 🦑
December 3, 2025 at 10:36 AM
A lovely Thalassiosira hendeyi from a recent sample. #marineplankton 🦑
December 2, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Beautiful from all directions!
December 2, 2025 at 7:02 PM
I have photographed 110 individual Asterionellopsis glacialis colonies over the last 3 years. And now they’re all ready for the Norfolk Plankton Image Library! #marineplankton 🦑
December 2, 2025 at 6:24 PM
This Tintinnina ciliate is having a good stretch out of its lorica (its little ‘cup’)!
#marineplankton 🦑
December 2, 2025 at 8:01 AM
A Sabellariidae polychaete (bristle worm) larva.
#marineplankton 🦑
December 1, 2025 at 6:21 PM
If you’re a @thembauk.bsky.social member, you get to have my winning image from last year’s Christmas card competition as you wallpaper this month!
December 1, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Today was sample day! #marineplankton 🦑
November 30, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Who else is running the vacuum around today? Sunday chores brought to you by this Gastropod larva 😍
#marineplankton 🦑
November 30, 2025 at 10:39 AM
This cnidarian (probably a sea anemone) planula larva has perhaps bitten off more than it can chew! Normally ovoid, this larva has taken on the shape of its lunch, a copepod! If you look closely, you can see the eye of the eaten crustacean!
#marineplankton 🦑
November 29, 2025 at 5:27 PM