Rock Pooling destination: Mallaig, Scotland May 2013

Rock Pooling destination: Mallaig, Scotland May 2013

The rocky shore at Mallaig predominantly comprises bedrock with gullies and pools. Yellow and grey lichens occur at the top of the shore, below which the black lichen Verrucaria maura  and channel wrack occur. The mid shore is dominated by barnacles and a variety of fauna and fucoid seaweeds occur within pools and on the lower shore. Habitat classification: LR.MLR.BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores).

Below are images of this habitat and organisms you may see whilst rock pooling in it:

The rocky shore at Mallaig. Habitat classification: LR.MLR.BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores).  Where fresh water run off from a drain enters the shore the green seaweed Entomorpha comes to dominate, replacing channel wrack, and forming the biotope: LR.FLR.Eph.Ent (Entomorpha spp. on fresh water influenced upper eulittoral rock.

The rocky shore at Mallaig. Orange and grey lichens will extend further down the shore where pinnacles attain the same height as the upper shore.Habitat classification: LR.MLR.BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores).

Channel wrack (Pelvetia canaliculata) gives way to barnacles as you go further down the shore. Habitat classification: LR.MLR.BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores).

Channel wrack (Pelvetia canaliculata) and periwinkles occur in the upper shore.

Channel wrack (Pelvetia canaliculata) and Limpets (Patella vulgata).

Large 'herds' of edible periwinkle (Littorina littorea) aggregate in the upper shore pools. Habitat classification: LR.FLR. Rkp (Rock pools).

Coralline crusts forms a sparse covering over the rock pool whilst the edible winkle (Littorina littorea) aggregate within crevices. Biotope classificaion: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

A prawn (Palaemon spp). Biotope classificaion: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools)

A prawn (Palaemon spp). Biotope classificaion: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools)

Anemone in a coralline rock pool.  Biotope description:  LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

Rough periwinkle (Littorina saxatilis) in a coralline rock pool. Biotope description:  LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

Anemones in a coralline rock pool. Biotope description:  LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) and  rough periwinkle (Littorina saxatilis) in a coralline rock pool. Biotope description:  LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

Pools lower down the shore contain more seaweed species. Biotope description:  LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

Green velvet horns (Codium spp) in a coralline rock pool. Biotope description:  LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

Barnacles dominate the mid shore below which occurs a band of fucoid seaweeds. Habitat classification: LR.MLR.BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores).

Barnacles and their predator the dog whelk (Nucella lapillus) on the mid shore. Habitat classification: LR.MLR.BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores).

Spiral wrack (Fucus spiralis) in the mid shore. Habitat classification: LR.MLR.BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores).