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:
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| Thousands of razor shells washed up on the shore. |
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| 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. |
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| A subtidal polychaete worm (opheliidae). |
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| A subtidal seacucumber (Thyone spp.) |
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| A subtidal anemone (Possibly Urticina spp). |
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| The dorsal side of a sea mouse (Aphrodita aculeata) |
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| The ventral side of a sea mouse (Aphrodita aculeata) |
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| Crabs |
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| A female shore crab (carcinus maenas) with eggs referred to by fisherman as gravid or buried. |
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| A squat lobster (galatheoidea) |
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| A slipper limpet (Crepidula fornicata) |
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| Common whelk shell with a slipper limpet (Crepidula fornicata) living inside. |
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| A mussel (Modioulus spp.) |
Barnacles, periwinkles, limpets, sparse dog whelks and fucoids charecterise this habitat.
Biotope classification: LR.MLR (Moderate energy littoral rock).
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| 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. |
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Barnacles and periwinkles occur in a distinct band on the sea defenses.
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| 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. |
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| Common starfish (Asterias rubens) that have been washed in take refuge in the shady pools of the artificial sea defenses. |
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| The common sunstar (Crossaster papposus) |
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| Ulva spp and Porphyra spp are ephemeral red and green seaweeds characteristic of mid shore communities influenced by sand scour. |
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| On extreme low tides the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) can also be observed (photo taken in 2012) |
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| Serrated wrack (Fucus serratus) occurs on the lower shore |
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| 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. |
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| The common starfish (Asterias rubens) and razor shells washed up by the recent storms. |
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