Monday 15 April 2013

Rock Pooling Destination: Seapalling, Norfolk, England

Rock Pooling Destination: Seapalling, Norfolk March 2013

The shore at Seapalling is influenced by a series of artificial sea defenses that have changed the dynamics of the shore to produce multiple bays comprised of sand with shingle berms in between. 

After a week of spring storms a variety of subtidal fauna had been washed up in the strand line:


Thousands of razor shells  washed up on the shore.

Common starfish (Asterias rubens) in an intertidal pool. Note the wide tubular shapes also present- these are the insides of the razor shells that had been washed up on the shore.
A subtidal polychaete worm (opheliidae).


A subtidal seacucumber (Thyone spp.)


A subtidal anemone (Possibly Urticina spp).
The dorsal side of a sea mouse (Aphrodita aculeata)


The ventral side of a sea mouse (Aphrodita aculeata)
Crabs



A female shore crab (carcinus maenas) with eggs referred to by fisherman as gravid or buried.



A squat lobster (galatheoidea)


A slipper limpet (Crepidula fornicata)

Common whelk shell with a slipper limpet  (Crepidula fornicata) living inside.


A mussel (Modioulus spp.) 
Rocky shore communities of the artificial sea defenses:
Barnacles, periwinkles, limpets, sparse dog whelks and fucoids charecterise this habitat. 
Biotope classification: LR.MLR (Moderate energy littoral rock).
Rocky shore communities have formed on the artificial sea defenses; barnacles, Limpets (Patella vulgata) and the small periwinkle (Melarhaphe neritoides ) charecterise the equivalent upper and mid shore of the sea defenses. 

 Barnacles and periwinkles occur in a distinct band on the sea defenses.
A barnacle 
The common starfish (Asterias rubens) and beadlet anemones (Actinia equina). A number of  common star fish were washed up during the recent storms and were found seeking refuge amongst the sea defenses.
Common starfish (Asterias rubens) that have been washed in take refuge in the shady pools of the artificial  sea defenses.


The common sunstar (Crossaster papposus)

Ulva spp and Porphyra spp are ephemeral red and green seaweeds characteristic of mid shore communities influenced by sand scour.
On extreme low tides the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) can also be observed (photo taken in 2012)

Serrated wrack (Fucus serratus) occurs on the lower shore



Edible crab (Cancer pagurus) and common starfish (Asterias rubens) seek refuge in the crevices between the stones of the sea defenses after being washed up in the recent storms. 


The common starfish (Asterias rubens) and razor shells washed up by the recent storms.



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