Association with Cystoseira crinita

Description (English)

This association is characterised by the brown alga Cystoseira crinita, living in pure waters with strong luminosity. In the western Mediterranean, this association is found in superficial photophilous biotopes in both rough and sheltered places (0 to 0,5 meters down). In places with weak hydrodynamics, it tolerates sedimentation. In the Aegean Sea, it is known in both exposed and sheltered stations, whereas in Syria it can descend to 3 meters down on an exposed subhorizontal substratum. In other parts of the Mediterranean, its vicarians can be found: Cystoseira mediterranea (in the western Mediterranean), Cystoseira crinitophylla and Cystoseira sedoides in the Strait of Sicily, Cystoseira sedoides in Algeria, Tunisia and Pantelleria, and Cystoseira barbata in the Venice lagoon. In the eastern Mediterranean are Cystoseira barbatula and Cystoseira corniculata and others with localized distribution like Cystoseira susanensis, Cystoseira hyblaea, Cystoseira rayssiae.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification