Biodiversity & Conservation

Halichondria bowerbanki, Eudendrium arbusculum and Eucratea loricata on reduced salinity tide-swept circalittoral mixed substrata

CR.ECR.BS.HbowEud

<i>%Halichondria bowerbanki%</i>, <i>%Eudendrium arbusculum%</i> and <i>%Eucratea loricata%</i> on reduced salinity tide-swept circalittoral mixed substrata
Distribution map

CR.ECR.BS.HbowEud 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 only from Loch Etive in western Scotland where it occurs on rock in reduced salinity and strong tidal currents.
National importance Rare

Text page icon Description of biotope

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

Circalittoral mixed substrata (bedrock, boulders, cobbles and pebbles) in reduced salinity conditions and strong tidal streams. Halichondria bowerbanki, Mycale lobata, Eudendrium arbusculum and Alcyonidium diaphanum are particularly characteristic of these conditions. This biotope is only known from Loch Etive, and a very impoverished low salinity version is present in the upper basin of Loch Etive. (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.

This review can be cited as follows:

Hiscock, K. 2002. Halichondria bowerbanki, Eudendrium arbusculum and Eucratea loricata on reduced salinity tide-swept circalittoral mixed substrata. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 20/05/2013]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/habitatsbasicinfo.php?habitatid=45&code=1997>