Biocenosis of Mediterranean infralittoral pebbles
Description (English)
Small strands with infralittoral pebbles are very numerous in the indentations of rocky coasts. The most typical is the biocoenosis when the pebbles are rather small. The characteristic species here are the two amphipods Melita hergensis and (Allorchestes aquilinus) Parhyale aquilina, which feed on organic detritus, and the fish Gouania wildenowii. G. willdenowi, predator on these amphipods. One finds also a characteristic crab, Xantho poressa, and several turbellerians and nemertines. After long periods of calm a thin film of diatoms is found on the pebbles. When the pebbles are larger this typical biocoenosis is often impoverished, but mixed with tolerant species coming from neighbouring rocks such as the sea-star Asterina gibbosa, the small anomuran (Porcellana bluteli) Pisidia bluteli, the gobiescoid fish (Lepadogaster gouani) L. lepadogaster, and so on. During stormy weather all the species escape from the moving pebbles to the lower parts of the boulders generally mixed with the pebbles, or to deeper bottoms, to return as soon as the sea becomes calm
Source: EUNIS habitat classification
Quick facts
EUNIS habitat type | code MB353 |
---|---|
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
Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
---|---|---|
Asterina gibbosa | Invertebrates | |
Melita hergensis | Invertebrates | |
Parhyale aquilina | Invertebrates | |
Pisidia bluteli | Invertebrates | |
Xantho poressa | Invertebrates |
Other classifications
Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
---|---|---|---|
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012) | A5.1 | Sublittoral coarse sediment | narrower |
History
Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5.1 | Sublittoral coarse sediment | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.73 | Animal communities of deep circalittoral shell gravel bottoms | narrower | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.71 | Animal communities of deep circalittoral gravel bottoms | narrower | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.1 | Sublittoral coarse sediment | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.73 | Animal communities of deep circalittoral shell gravel bottoms | narrower | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.71 | Animal communities of deep circalittoral gravel bottoms | narrower | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.1 | Sublittoral mobile cobbles, gravels and coarse sands | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A4.1 | Sublittoral mobile cobbles, gravels and coarse sands | same |