Fossil Shrimps & Lobsters
When searching the foreshore of Folkestone, lobsters and shrimps are encountered far less frequently than crabs. They are often mistaken for lumps of phosphate, which is abundant in the area.
Most lobster and shrimp specimens recovered from the foreshore are worn, damaged, or represented only by partial remains such as claws or legs. Nevertheless, the robust structure of these fossils often preserves fine detail.
On rare occasions, complete specimens can be found encased within nodules. Extracting them, however, requires considerable preparation skill and patience—skills I unfortunately do not have.
On this page you will find some of the better examples in my collection currently. There are many different species to be found at Folkestone. For a better catalogue I recommend a copy of "fossils of the gault clay"
Hoploparia longimana
(G.B. Sowerby, 1826)
This is the largest and most common lobster species found at Folkestone. To the naked eye, the carapace appears smooth; however, under magnification, it reveals a fine granular patterning across its entire surface.
No complete specimens have yet been recovered by myself from the foreshore, with finds limited to partial remains such as tails, claws, and sections of the carapace. As with most crustaceans, intact and uneroded examples are best obtained directly from the in-situ beds.
An excellent, fully prepared specimen was recovered from the clay and prepared by T. Miller. The photo of which can be seen on this webpage.
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Find frequency on the foreshore: Uncommon
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Glyphea carteri
(Bell, 1863)
Specimens of this lobster from Folkestone are typically small, with carapaces measuring approximately 30–40 mm in length, excluding the tail.
It is readily identifiable by its pronounced ornamentation: the entire carapace, as well as the legs and claws, is densely covered with robust, closely spaced tubercles. Three distinct grooves are present towards the anterior of the carapace.
This is among the rarest lobsters in the Folkestone area. I have only encountered partial specimens. The accompanying image illustrates the characteristic ornamentation, while complete examples can be seen through reference images available online.
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Find frequency on the foreshore: Very Rare
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Rectaglyphea howardae ?
This lobster is easily distinguished by its lack of surface ornamentation and its broad, rectangular carapace. The carapace, along with the legs and claws, is almost entirely smooth, which serves as a key diagnostic feature. Unlike Glyphea carteri, which typically exhibits more pronounced ridges and ornament, this species is generally larger and more robust.
The overall morphology suggests a benthic lifestyle, likely inhabiting soft substrates where a smooth carapace would reduce resistance while burrowing or moving along the seabed.
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The accompanying image shows a well-preserved example of the tail section. Even under relatively low photographic lighting, the reflective nature of the carapace is clearly visible and difficult to eliminate. This sheen is characteristic of well-mineralised cuticle and is often enhanced by phosphatisation, a common mode of preservation at Folkestone. Such preservation indicates relatively rapid burial prior to extensive decay or mechanical damage.
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Find frequency on the foreshore: Only one I have found.
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Scyllarides punctatus
(Woods, 1925)
This lobster is easily distinguished by its high ornamentation and broad, rectangular carapace. The entire carapace, along with the legs and claws, is covered with closely spaced tubercles. Unlike Glyphea, the tubercles of this species are smaller and less robust.
I have only encountered only three specimens of this lobster species from Folkestone—one of which is a juvenile with less-than-ideal preservation—making it difficult to estimate the species’ full adult size.
The accompanying image displays a well-preserved example of the main carapace ornamentation. A second image shows a worn example of a tail section.
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Find frequency on the foreshore: Very Rare
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Callianassa sp
This is a very small shrimp species, typically measuring around 30 mm in total length. At first glance, the carapace appears smooth; however, under magnification it reveals fine granular ornamentation. This micro-ornamentation is an important diagnostic feature but is often overlooked due to the small size of the specimens.
Most recovered material consists of partial remains, with tail sections being the most commonly encountered elements.
Pictured is a possible complete specimen preserved within a nodule. Although the specimen has not yet been prepared, it clearly displays the distinctive curved tail characteristic of shrimps, confirming its identification.
Preservation within a nodule often protects delicate structures from compression and erosion, increasing the likelihood of recovering articulated material. Due to their small size, shrimp fossils from Folkestone are easily missed during casual collecting.
As collecting methods improve and techniques for examining fine-grained and minute material advance, it is likely that additional shrimp species from this locality will be recognised and described in the future.
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Find frequency on the foreshore: Rare
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Axiid "Ghost shrimp" - Undescribed.
This fossil shrimp represents a new species and has been sent to the Netherlands for formal scientific description.
Once an official name has been assigned, this entry will be updated accordingly.
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Find frequency on the foreshore: To my knowledge the only example known
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Axiid "Ghost shrimp" - Undescribed
This is a very small shrimp species, this example measuring a total of 1.4cm long!
Only one I am aware of having been found. Was found by collector P. Mannering-Green and kindly donated to my collection.
If any other specimens have been found within the Gault Clay formation please get in contact with me via email with pictures.
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