Association with Halopithys incurva on mud

Description (English)

The association with Halopithys incurva is present in the most marine sectors of Mediterranean lagoons. The salinity there is identical or close to that of the open sea, the differences in termperature are strictly seasonal, the oxygenation of the environment is normal, the concentrations of organic matter and pollutants in the water are low, and depth is of the order of 3 to 5 meters or more, according to the clearness of the water.
The main plant species belong to the Rhodophyceae: Halopithys incurva, Rythiphlaea tinctoria and Alsidium corallinum. H. incurva is more common in the Etang de Thau (southern coasts of France) and Rythiphlaea tinctoria in the Stagnone de Marsala (western Sicily, Italy).
The fauna, especially studied in Sicily, is typically that of the fronds of algae of the upper part of the infralittoral stage: Polychaete annelids Syllis spp., Perinereis cultrifera, Platynereis dumerilii; the mollusc Nodolus contortus; the amphipod crustaceans Elasmospus pocillimanus, Maera inaequipes, Lysiannassa longicornis and the tanaidaceans Leptochelia guttatus, L. savignyi, Apseudes latreillii and Parapseudes latifrons.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification