Nigel Cattlin / Eggs of Golden apple snail / Channelled apple snail (Pomacea caniculata) in a Rice (Oryza sativa) paddy, Luzon, Philippines

Milan Radisics / Aerial shot of dead trees encrusted in mud in a dry artificial lake, polluted by extractive mining operations, Minas de Riotinto, Andalusia, Spain, January 2019.

Nick Upton / Split level view of a Beadlet anemone (Actinia equina) attached to a boulder encrusted with Maerl (Lithothamnion glaciale) a red coralline alga, in a large rockpool, Crail, Scotland, UK, July

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lundgren / Three Nudibranchs (Polycera quadrilineata) on Kelp encrusted with Sea-mat / Lacy crust bryozoan (Membranipora membranacea) Saltstraumen, Bod, Norway, October 2008

Juergen Freund / Oyster encrusted mangrove roots, split level.(Rhizophoraceae) Florida Everglades, USA

Solvin Zankl / Split level shot with Scottish coastline above and underwater Barnacle (Balanus balanoides) encrusted rock, UK

Solvin Zankl / European / Common lobster (Homarus gammarus) with large barnacle encrusted claws, underwater, Mull, Scotland

Fred Bavendam / Doughboy Scallop (Chlamys asperrima) group with bright blue eyes and sponge-encrusted shells, Edithburgh, South Australia, Australia

Oscar Dewhurst / Glossy-black thrush (Turdus serranus) perched on lichen-encrusted branch in cloud forest. Wayqecha Biological Research Station, Peru. April

Oscar Dewhurst / Highland motmot (Momotus aequatorialis) perched on lichen-encrusted branch, silhouetted against an overcast sky. Cusco, Peru. September. Cropped

Alex Mustard / Common lobster (European lobster: Homarus gammarus) shelters in the structure of the Wreck of the Rosalie, which is encrusted with Plumose anemones (Metridium senile). Weybourne, north Norfolk, Englan...

Nick Upton / Green-leaf worm (Eulalia viridis) scavenging on rocks encrusted with Barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides). Treyarnon Bay, Cornwall, England, UK. September.

Alex Mustard / Pair of Edible crabs (Cancer pagurus) shelter in the structure of the Wreck of the Rosalie, which is encrusted with Plumose anemones (Metridium senile). Weybourne, north Norfolk, England, United Kingd...

Alex Mustard / Stacks of italian tiles from the Chrisoula K wreck (also known as the tile wreck), encrusted with corals. Abu Nuhas, Egypt. Strait of Gubal, Gulf of Suez, Red Sea.

Alex Hyde / La Gomera gecko (Tarentola gomerensis) camouflaged on a lichen-encrusted rock. Endemic species, La Gomera, Canary Islands. March.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Mountain top encrusted in snow, west buttress of Lochnagar, Deeside, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, UK, March 2017.

Linda Pitkin / Mangroves (Rhizophora sp.) above coral reef encrusted with tunicates (Didemnum sp.), and Soft coral (Dendronephthya sp.). Mangrove Ridge, Yanggefo Island, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Linda Pitkin / Pinnate batfish (Platax pinnatus), with soft corals including Leather coral (Sarcophyton sp.), in mangroves (Rhizophora sp.). Mangrove roots encrusted with tunicates. Yanggefo Island, Raja Ampat, West...

Linda Pitkin / Pinnate batfish (Platax pinnatus), on coral reef beneath mangroves (Rhizophora sp.). Mangrove roots encrusted with tunicates (including Didemnum sp.), and soft coral (Dendronephthya sp.). Yanggefo Isl...

Tony Wu / Hardyhead silversides (Atherinomorus lacunosus) swarming around the coral-encrusted remains of a portion of the jetty at Samarai Island in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea

Alex Hyde / Apollo butterfly (Parnassius apollo) resting on lichen-encrusted rock, Nordtirol, Austrian Alps. June.

Brent Stephenson / Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) surfacing with barnacles encrusted on its head, Wilhelmina Bay, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, January.

Nick Upton / Adult Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) resting on barnacle encrusted offshore rocks at low tide, the Carracks, St.Ives, Cornwall, UK, June.

Nick Upton / Adult Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) resting on barnacle encrusted offshore rocks at low tide, the Carracks, St.Ives, Cornwall, UK, June.

Nick Upton / Adult Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) resting on barnacle encrusted offshore rocks at low tide, the Carracks, St.Ives, Cornwall, UK, June.

Nick Upton / Adult Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) resting on barnacle encrusted offshore rocks at low tide, the Carracks, St.Ives, Cornwall, UK, June.

Richard Robinson / Butterfly perch (Caesioperca lepidoptera) amongst an encrusted Fiordland Black Coral (Antipathella fiordensis) in Breaksea Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.

Richard Robinson / Gridled wrasse (Notolabrus cinctus) and butterfly perch (Caesioperca lepidoptera) amongst encrusted Fiordland Black Coral (Antipathella fiordensis) in Breaksea Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zeal...

Richard Robinson / Butterfly perch (Caesioperca lepidoptera) amongst encrusted Fiordland black coral (Antipathella fiordensis) in Breaksea Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.

Nick Upton / Dunnock (Prunella modularis) perched on a lichen encrusted dead branch in farmland, Marlborough Downs, Wiltshire, UK, July.

Michele Westmorland / Moray Eel (Gymnothorax prasinus) with Rock shrimps (Lysmata sp) in urchins and sponge encrusted rocks. Galapagos Islands.

Nick Upton / Recenty settled young Common mussels (Mytilus edulis) alongside barnacle encrusted adults on rocks exposed on a rocky shore at low tide, Rhossili, The Gower Peninsula, UK, June.

Nick Upton / Dog whelk (Nucella lapillus), a predator of barnacles, on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles / Northern rock barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) exposed at low tide, with seaweed, a rock pool and th...

Nick Upton / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) walking along lichen-encrusted tree branch, Gloucestershire, UK, April.

Nick Upton / Tree sparrow (Passer montanus) calling from Lichen encrusted barn roof, Wiltshire farmland, UK, June.

Nick Upton / Lesser Black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) adult and juvenile Herring gull (Larus argentatus) standing on a lichen encrusted rooftop in evening light, Gloucestershire, UK, May.

Georgette Douwma / Reef stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) in a mating congregation, the males jostling for position and swimming over the females. The female stonefish releases its eggs on the bottom of the sea floor, th...

Georgette Douwma / A group of Reef stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) in a mating congregation, the males jostling for position and swimming over the females. The female stonefish releases its eggs on the bottom of the se...

Georgette Douwma / A group of five Reef stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) in a mating congregation, the males jostling for position and swimming over the females. The female stonefish releases its eggs on the bottom of t...

Georgette Douwma / A group of five Reef stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) in a mating congregation, the males jostling for position and swimming over the females. The female stonefish releases its eggs on the bottom of t...

Georgette Douwma / A group of six Reef stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) in a mating congregation, the males jostling for position and swimming over the females. The female stonefish releases its eggs on the bottom of th...

Georgette Douwma / Stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa). This individual, having just shed its cuticle, is vivid pink, red and purple, resembling a coralline algae encrusted rock. It is one of the most venomous fish curren...

Ben Hall / Long-eared owl (Asio otus otus) perched in tree encrusted with lichen, Czech Republic, January

Ben Hall / Long-eared owl (Asio otus otus) perched in tree encrusted with lichen, Czech Republic, January

Nick Upton / Traditional ceramic Octopus pot encrusted with serpulid worm tubes and barnacles. Culatra island, Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, near Olhao, Algarve, Portugal, June.

Nick Upton / Stack of lobster pots and traditional ceramic Octopus pots encrusted with serpulid worm tubes and barnacles, Culatra island, Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, near Olhao, Algarve, Portugal, June.

Nick Upton / Stack of lobster pots and traditional ceramic Octopus pots encrusted with serpulid worm tubes and barnacles, Culatra island, Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, near Olhao, Algarve, Portugal, June.

Juergen Freund / Aerial of salt encrusted shores of Lake Eyre, desert part of the Anna Creek station. South Australia, June 2011

Danny Green / Ice encrusted trees, Northern Finland, February 2012. Bookplate from Danny Green's 'The Long Journey North'

Jeff Rotman / Spiny Pink Scallop (Chlamys hastata) encrusted with sponge showing eyes peering out. Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific Ocean

Jeff Rotman / Spiny Pink Scallop (Chlamys hastata) encrusted with sponge showing eyes peering out, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific Ocean

Jeff Rotman / Spiny Pink Scallop (Chlamys hastata) encrusted with sponge, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific Ocean

Jeff Rotman / Spiny Pink Scallops (Chlamys hastata) encrusted with sponges, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific Ocean.

Jeff Rotman / Spiny Pink Scallops (Chlamys hastata) encrusted with sponge, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific Ocean.

Adrian Davies / Lichen encrusted gravestone in churchyard, Slapton, Devon, England, UK, July.

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Common sunstar (Crossaster papposus) hunting fleeing Brittlestars (Ophiopetra) on Maerl (Lithothamnion glaciale) encrusted rock, Loch Carron, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, UK, April.

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving over floor of rockpool encrusted with red algae (Lithothamnion sp.), near Falmouth, Cornwall, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Three Painted top shells (Calliostoma zizyphinum) on submerged rocks encrusted with red algae low on the shore, Wembury, Devon, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Batters / Sea noodle (Nemalion helminthoides) seaweed growing on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles / Northern rock barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) low on the shore near the kelp zone, Wembury,...

Nick Upton / Black lichen (Lichina pygmaea) covering barnacle encrusted rocks high on the shore, Wembury, Devon, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving over floor of rockpool encrusted with red algae (Lithomnanion sp.) past Flat / Purple Top shell (Gibbula umbilicalis) low on a rocky shore, near Falmou...

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving over floor of rockpool encrusted with red algae past Flat / Purple Top shell (Gibbula umbilicalis) low on a rocky shore, near Falmouth, Cornwall, UK, A...

Nick Upton / Batters / Sea noodle (Nemalion helminthoides) seaweed growing on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles / Northern rock barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) and Black-footed limpets (Patella depressa) lo...

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving over floor of rockpool encrusted with red algae past Common periwinkles (Littorina littorea) and Flat / Purple Top shell (Gibbula umbilicalis) low on a...

Nick Upton / Common Starfish (Asterias rubens) moving over a boulder encrusted with sponges, serpulid worms and sea squirts in a rockpool low on the shore, Helford River, Cornwall, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving over floor of rockpool encrusted with red algae (Lithomnanion sp.), near Falmouth, Cornwall, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving over floor of rockpool encrusted with red algae past Flat / Purple Top shell (Gibbula umbilicalis), Rough periwinkle (Littorina saxatilis) and Thick-li...

Nick Upton / Batters / Sea noodle (Nemalion helminthoides) seaweed growing on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles / Northern rock barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) low on the shore, Wembury, Devon, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Netted dog whelk (Nassarius reticulatus) with siphon, tentacle and eye visible, scavenging on barnacle encrusted rocks bordering a sandy seabed, exposed on a low spring tide, Rhossili, The Gower Penin...

Nick Upton / Netted dog whelk (Nassarius reticulatus) with tentacles and eyes visible, scavenging on barnacle encrusted rocks exposed on a low spring tide, Rhossili, The Gower Peninsula, UK, July.

Nick Upton / Wide angle view of Green-leaf worm (Eulalia viridis) emerging from its retreat under Pepper dulse (Osmundea pinnatifida) a red algae to scavenge on rocks encrusted with Common / Northern rock barnacle...

Nick Upton / Wide angle view of Green-leaf worm (Eulalia viridis) emerging from its retreat under Pepper dulse (Osmundea pinnatifida) a red algae to scavenge on rocks encrusted with Common / Northern rock barnacle...

Nick Upton / Small periwinkles (Melarhaphe neritoides) attached to limestone rock encrusted with Tar lichen (Verrucaria maura) and Montagu's stellate barnacles (Chthamalaus montagui) high on the shore at low tide,...

Nick Upton / Netted dog whelk (Nassarius reticulatus) scavenging on barnacle encrusted rocks bordering a sandy seabed, exposed on a low spring tide, Rhossili, The Gower Peninsula, UK, July.

Nick Upton / Netted dog whelk (Nassarius reticulatus) scavenging on barnacle encrusted rocks bordering a sandy seabed, exposed on a low spring tide, Rhossili, The Gower Peninsula, UK, July.

Nick Upton / Wide angle view of Green-leaf worm (Eulalia viridis) emerging from its retreat under Pepper dulse (Osmundea pinnatifida) a red algae to scavenge on rocks encrusted with Common / Northern rock barnacle...

Nick Upton / Wide angle view of Green-leaf worm (Eulalia viridis) emerging from its retreat under Pepper dulse (Osmundea pinnatifida) a red algae to scavenge on rocks encrusted with Common / Northern rock barnacle...

Nick Upton / Small periwinkles (Melarhaphe neritoides) attached to limestone rock encrusted with Tar lichen (Verrucaria maura) and Montagu's stellate barnacles (Chthamalaus montagui) high on the shore at low tide,...

Nick Upton / Close up of Netted dog whelk (Nassarius reticulatus) with siphon, tentacle and eye visible, scavenging on barnacle encrusted rocks exposed on a low spring tide, Rhossili, The Gower Peninsula, UK, July...

Nick Upton / Small periwinkles (Melarhaphe neritoides) attached to limestone rock encrusted with Tar lichen (Verrucaria maura) and Montagu's stellate barnacles (Chthamalaus montagui) high on the shore at low tide,...

Nick Upton / Many Small periwinkles (Melarhaphe neritoides) attached to limestone rock encrusted with Tar lichen (Verrucaria maura) and Montagu's stellate barnacles (Chthamalaus montagui) high on the shore at low...

Nick Upton / Spotted cowrie (Trivia monacha) crawling over barnacle encrusted subtidal rock with siphon and tentacles visible, near Falmouth, Cornwall, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Pepper Dulse red algae (Osmundea / Laurencia pinnatifida) growing on barnacle encrusted rocks low on the shoreline, Wembury, Devon, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Common limpets (Patella vulgata) encrusted with Common barnacles (Balanus balanoides) attached to sandstone boulder low on shoreline, exposed at low tide, St. Bees, Cumbria, UK, July.

Nick Upton / Common limpets (Patella vulgata) encrusted with Common barnacles (Balanus balanoides) attached to sandstone boulder low on shoreline, exposed at low tide, St. Bees, Cumbria, UK, July.

Nick Upton / Honeycomb worm reef (Sabellaria alveolata) with clustered tubes built of sand grains attached to boulders, exposed at low tide with the barnacle encrusted boulders and the sea in the background, St.Be...

Nick Upton / Beadlet anemone (Actinia equina) attached to a boulder encrusted with Maerl (Lithothamnion glaciale) a red coralline alga, in a large rockpool, Crail, Scotland, UK, July.

Nick Upton / Beadlet anemone (Actinia equina) attached to a boulder encrusted with Maerl (Lithothamnion glaciale) a red coralline alga, in a large rockpool, Crail, Scotland, UK, July.

Nick Upton / Adult Common periwinkle (Littorina liitorea) with well worn shell on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) exposed at low tide, Crail, Fife, July

Nick Upton / Three Dog whelks (Nucella lapillus), predators of barnacles, on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) exposed at low tide, North Berwick, East Lothian, UK, July

Nick Upton / Dense cluster of Dog whelks (Nucella lapillus), predators of barnacles, on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) exposed at low tide, St. Bees, Cumbria, UK, July

Nick Upton / Dense cluster of Dog whelks (Nucella lapillus), predators of barnacles, on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) exposed at low tide, St. Bees, Cumbria, UK, July

Nick Upton / Four Dog whelks (Nucella lapillus), predators of barnacles, on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) exposed at low tide, some with barnacles growing on their shells, North Be...

Nick Upton / Dog whelks (Nucella lapillus) on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) exposed at low tide, some with barnacles growing on their shells, North Berwick, East Lothian, UK, July

Nick Upton / Dog whelks (Nucella lapillus) dense cluster on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) exposed at low tide, some with barnacles growing on their shells, with sand flats and the...