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.

Rock Pooling Destination: Worms Head, Wales

Rock pooling destination: Worms Head, Wales, March 2013 (Porcupine Marine Natural History Society Field Trip)

The shore comprises a causeway that stretches out toward Worms Head, and contains shelving gullies and pools, with occasional boulders. Mussels and barnacles dominate the shore, with the mussels forming intertidal beds on sections of the rock and sediment. Pools are characterized by coralline species of red seaweed and the lower tide swept gullies are covered in Osmudea spp. and Laminara spp.

Below are photographs of some of the animals you may encounter in this type of habitat:

Lichens on supralittoral rock. Biotope description: LR.FLR.Lic (Lichens or small green algae on supralittoral and littoral fringe rock).

Orange lichen on supralittoral rock

Lichens on supralittoral rock (Lichina pygmaea)

Barnacles and Mussels community on Rock. Biotope description: LR.HLR.MusB (Mussel and/or barnacle communities)

Mussel (Mytilus edulis) and barnacle community on eulittoral rock (LR.HLR.MusB)

Mussel (Mytilus edulis) beds on eulittoral rock and mixed sediment

Barnacle (Balanidae) on a mussel (Mytilus edulis).

Barnacles and Mussels (Mytilus edulis) with a dog whelk (Nucella lapillus)

  Barnacles, Mussels (Mytilus edulis), Limpets (Patella vulgata) and Perwinkles (Littorina spp and Melarhaphe neritoides). The Barnacles, Limpets and Periwinkle community on rock is a sub division within the broader barnacles and/or mussel biotope description

 Barnacles, Limpets (Patella vulgata), Beadlet anemone (Actinia equina) and Topshells (Gibbula spp.) aggregate in crevices to avoid desiccation when the tide is out

 

       Barnacles have gained considerable height on this section of the shore

Intertidal pools. Biotope description: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor.Cor (Coralline crusts and Corallina officinalis in shallow eulittoral rockpools)

Intertidal pools of the shore are characterized by coralline and Ulva species, whilst the barnacles and mussels (Mytilus edulis) community dominate the areas above the pools

Intertidal pools of the shore are characterized by corallinacea crusts, Corallina officinalis and Ulva species

The coral weed (Corallina officinalis)

The coral weed (Corallina officinalis) in an intertidal pool

Corallinacea crust

Corallinacea  crust

A paddle worm (Eulalia viridis)

The egg of a paddle worm (Eulalia viridis)

Corallinaea crust, Barnacles and a serpulid polychaete worm in an intertidal pool

Hermit crabs (Paguroidea)

Hermit crabs (Paguroidea)

Young crab eating a phylodocid worm

The under boulder community in the intertidal pools:

A cushionstar (Asterina phylactica) on the underside of a boulder in an intertidal pool.

Under boulder community- Dog whelk (Nucella lapillus), Common starfish (Asterias rubens), Barnacles and Topshells (Gibbula spp)

Under boulder community- Brittlestar (Ophiothrix fragilis) on the under side of a boulder in an inter tidal pool

Under boulder community- Brittlestar (Ophiothrix fragilis) on the under side of a boulder in an intertidal pool

Under boulder community - Dog whelks (Nucella lapillus), Brittlestars, Barnacles and the green sea urchin (Psammechinus miliaris)

Under boulder community - Dog whelk (Nucella lapillus), Brittlestars and the green sea urchin (Psammechinus miliaris)

Under boulder community - Cushionstar (Asterina phylactica) and Flat Topshell (Gibbula umbillicus)

Under boulder community- A scaleworm on the under side of a boulder in an intertidal pool

Under boulder community- Bryozoa, Serpulid polychaete worms and anomiidae shell

Under boulder community- Common starfish (Asterias rubens) and a dog whelk (Nucella lapillus) under a boulder in an intertidal pool

Under boulder community- Broad clawed porcelain crab (Porcellana platycheles)

Under boulder community- A Chiton

Under boulder community- Long clawed porcelain crab (Pisidia longicornis)

Under boulder community- Grey seaslug (Aeolidia papillosa)

The rhodophyta dominated community of the gullies. Biotope description: LR.HCR.FR (Robust red seaweed communities)

The red seaweed Osmundea dominates this section of the shore and forms its own biotope (LR.HCR.FR.Osm) Osmundea on moderately exposed eulittoral rock that is encompassed under the broader biotope complex of robust red seaweed communities

Gullies of the intertidal

The acorn barnacle (Balanus perforatus) occurs along the sides and beneath the overhangs of the gullies

The red seaweed Osmundea spp, Topshells (Gibbula spp.) and the breadcrumb sponge (Halichondria panicea)

The red sausage weed (Lomentaria articulata)

Grape pip weed (Mastocarpus stellatus)

Dog whelks (Nucella lapillus) aggregate in the gully crevices

Whelk eggs are laid is the damp shade beneath an overhang

An anemone living in the shade beneath an overhang

Anemones living in the shade beneath an overhang

The green seaweed (Cladophora spp.) comprises part of the seaweed community of the gully

The red seaweed Osmundea dominates this section of the shore and forms its own biotope (LR.HCR.FR.Osm) Osmundea on moderately exposed eulittoral rock that is encompassed under the broader biotope complex of robust red seaweed communities

Sea squirts (Ascidiacea) occur on the under side of boulders within the gullies

Bryozoa occur on the frond of Kelp (Laminaria)