Vermetid reefs (Dendropoma patraeum)
Description (English)
Vermetid platforms, or reefs, are built by the gastropod mollusc Dendropoma (Novastoa) petraeum, in association with some encrusting red seaweeds like Neogoniolithon brassica-florida. These reefs are often colonised by Vermetus triquetrus, another species of vermetid which, in both solitary and gregarious forms, occupies the portions of the structure that are permanently underwater. The bioconstructing vermetid is a highly gregarious species living in the tidal zone, to which it is particularly well adapted, thanks to the horny operculum that seals its shell opening in an airtight manner, thus enabling the animal to tolerate periodic emersions between tides. Vermetid reefs colonise the tidal zone exclusively on rocky coasts, with smaller formations according to the type of rock: calcarenite, limestone, dolomite, basalt and flysch. The presence of an abrasion platform thus becomes the essential condition for the formation of a reef. A second factor limiting the distribution and size of structures on a small scale is the extent of superficial hydrodynamics, as developed reefs are unlikely to be found in sheltered environments with calm waters
Source: EUNIS habitat classification
Quick facts
EUNIS habitat type | code MA2551 |
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Relation to | Resolution 4 habitat type (used for designation of Emerald sites) |
Legal status
Relation to other habitat types mentioned in legal instruments
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
Not availableSpecies mentioned in habitat description
Other classifications
Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
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EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012) | A2.7 | Littoral biogenic reefs | narrower |
History
Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type | Comment |
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EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A2.7 | Littoral biogenic reefs | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A2.8 | Littoral biogenic structures | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A2.8 | Biogenic structures on littoral sediments | same |