Common fish of the sea shore

Look within the rock pools or walk among the shallows and you will often see fish darting off into a crevice or under a rock. Many of the fish found in the intertidal zone have adaptations to help them survive when the tide is out, whilst others can only survive in the pools and shallows.

 Below are images of some of the common fish you may encounter whilst rock pooling in the UK:

Shanny (Lipophrys pholis)



Shanny (Lipophrys pholis)

Gobiidae

Butterfish (Pholis gunnellus)



Stickleback

Stickleback

Worm pipefish (Nerophis lumbriciformis)

Worm pipefish (Nerophis lumbriciformis)

Worm pipefish (Nerophis lumbriciformis)

Common eel (Anguilla anguilla)

Sea scorpian (Taurulus bubalis)

Sea scorpian (Taurulus bubalis)

Sea scorpian (Taurulus bubalis)

Rockling

Suckerfish

Ballen wrasse (Labrus bergylta)

Ballen wrasse (Labrus bergylta)

Ballen wrasse (Labrus bergylta)

Mullet (Chelon spp.)

Common Lichens of the sea shore

Lichens are symbiotic fungi that occur throughout the terrestrial environment and into the intertidal zone where they colonise suitable hard substrates of the upper shore and splash zone.

They are often the defining species of splash zone habitats and come in a variety of forms and colours.

Below are images of the common lichens you may encounter whilst rock pooling around the UK:

  

An orange lichen (Xanthoria parietina).

An orange lichen (Xanthoria parietina).

Black lichen (Lichina pygmaea).

Tar lichen (Verrucaria maura) and an orange lichen.

Tar lichen  (Verrucaria maura) forms a thin black crust over the rock



Above the high tide mark Sea ivory (Ramalina siliquosa) and the orange lichen, Xanthoria parietina occur.

Sea ivory (Ramalina siliquosa)

Sea ivory (Ramalina siliquosa)

Sheep are partial to sea ivory!

Possible Parelle (Ochrolechia parella).



Anaptychia spp.