Anemones, including Corynactis viridis, crustose sponges and colonial ascidians on very exposed or wave surged Atlantic vertical infralittoral rock

Description (English)

Vertical very exposed and exposed bedrock gullies, tunnels and cave entrances subject to wave-surge dominated by sponge crusts such as Clathrina coriacea, Myxilla incrustans, Pachymatisma johnstonia and Halichondria panicea and anthozoans such as Sagartia elegans, Urticina felina, Alcyonium digitatum, Corynactis viridis and dwarf Metridium senile generally dominate the area; the anthozoans often appearing to protrude through the sponge layer. There may be dense aggregations of the hydroid Tubularia indivisa, the cup coral Caryophyllia smithii and the colonial ascidians Botrylloides leachi and Polyclinum aurantium. There may be a short crisiid turf, interspersed with Scrupocellaria reptans. Encrusting coralline algae may occur on well-illuminated rock faces. The echinoderms Asterias rubens, Marthasterias glacialis, Echinus esculentus, Antedon bifida and Ophiothrix fragilis, the topshell Calliostona zizphinum and the calcareous tubeworm Pomatoceros triqueter may also be present on the rock face. The crabs Cancer pagurus and Necora puber may also be recorded. Due to the wave-surged nature and vertical orientation of these biotopes, kelps are rare and certainly never dominate.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification