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Marine Habitat Classification


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1 result for 'IR.MIR.KR.Lhyp.Pk'

   IR.MIR.KR.Lhyp.Pk  Laminaria hyperborea park and foliose red seaweeds on moderately exposed lower infralittoral rock

Below the dense kelp forest (Lhyp.Ft) on moderately exposed lower infralittoral bedrock and boulders, the kelp thins out to form a park. Beneath the kelp, the rock and kelp stipes are covered by an often dense turf of foliose red seaweeds such as Metacallophyllis laciniata, Plocamium cartilagineum, Delesseria sanguinea, Hypoglossum hypoglossoides, Cryptopleura ramosa, Metacallophyllis laciniata and Phycodrys rubens. Coralline crusts are often present on the rock surface. Many species of red seaweed found in this biotope occur at greater abundance in the shallower kelp forest. Other seaweeds, such as the red seaweeds Bonnemaisonia asparagoides and Hypoglossum hypoglossoides as well as the brown seaweed Dictyota dichotoma are more abundant in this zone than the upper infralittoral. The faunal component of this biotope is similar to that found below the kelp in the upper infralittoral zone and include the hydroid Obelia geniculata, the ascidian Clavelina lepadiformis, the anthozoans Urticina felina, Alcyonium digitatum and Caryophyllia smithii, the tube-building polychaete Spirobranchus triqueter and the gastropods Calliostoma zizyphinum and Steromphala cineraria. The gastropods Steromphala cineraria and Calliostoma zizyphinum and the echinoderm Echinus esculentus can be found grazing on the rock. Other echinoderms present include Asterias rubens and Antedon bifida which can be locally abundant, particularly in the north-west.
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