Biodiversity & Conservation

Corallina officinalis on very exposed lower eulittoral rock

LR.HLR.FR.Coff

ELR.Coff

Image Keith Hiscock - Steep bedrock shore with Corallina officinalis (ELR.Coff). Image width ca 1 m.
Image copyright information

  • #
Distribution map

LR.HLR.FR.Coff recorded (dark blue bullet) and expected (light blue bullet) distribution in Britain and Ireland (see below)

  • EC_Habitats

Text page icon Habitat description

Map icon Distribution of biotope in Britain and Ireland Recorded in various locations around Britain, although no records were found for Ireland.
National importance Scarce

Text page icon Description of biotope

For a full description of this biotope including characterizing species, distribution, survey information and references visit JNCC

Very exposed lower eulittoral rock on some shores supports a band of dense Corallina officinalis with low abundances of other turf-forming red algae such as Lomentaria spp., Mastocarpus stellatus, Ceramium spp. and Osmundea pinnatifida (=Laurencia pinnatifida), the red encrusting alga Callithamnion spp. and the brown alga Scytosiphon lomentaria. The coralline turf also creates a micro-habitat for small animals such as spirorbid worms. The brown alga Bifurcaria bifurcata and the barnacle Balanus perforatus may occur in the extreme south-west. This community usually forms a distinct band just above the kelp zone (EIR.Ala, EIR.Ala.Ldig or MIR.Ldig). (Information taken from the Marine Biotope Classification for Britain and Ireland, Version 97.06: Connor et al., 1997a, b).

Additional information icon Additional information

None entered

This review can be cited as follows:

Tyler-Walters, H. 2005. Corallina officinalis on very exposed lower eulittoral rock. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 25/05/2013]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/habitatsbasicinfo.php?habitatid=130&code=2004>