Rock pooling destination: Cathedral Cave, Eigg May 2013

The shore comprises a bedrock platform that contains a number of rock pools before dropping off towards the low tide mark.

Fucoids and barnacles form a patch-work like distribution across the shore, within which rock pools occur. The shallow rock pools are dominated by coralline crusts whilst the deeper pools have a variety of seaweeds.

Habitat classification:

Substrate	LR (Littoral rock)
Habitat	MLR (Moderate energy littoral rock)		FLR (Features of littoral rock)
Biotope complex	BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores)		Rkp (Rockpools)
Biotope	LR.LMR.BF.PelB   (Pelvetia canaliculata and barnacles on moderately exposed shores)	LR.MLR.BF.FspiB (Fucus spiralis on full salinity exposed to moderately exposed upper eulittoral rock)	LR.FLR.Rkp.G (Green seaweeds (Entomorpha spp. and Cladophora spp.) in shallow upper shore rock pools)	LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools)

The rocky shore. Habitat classification:  LR.MCR.BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores) and LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).

Shallow pools of the upper shore pools are dominated by ephemeral green algae that characterizes the biotope LR.FLR.Rkp.G (Green seaweeds (Entomorpha spp. and Cladophora spp.) in shallow upper shore rock pools) that occurs within the broader biotope complex LR.FLR.Rkp (Rockpools).

Channel wrack (Pelvetia canaliculata) on the upper shore. Pelvetia canaliculata characterizes the biotope LR.LMR.BF.PelB (Pelvetia canaliculata and barnacles on moderately exposed shores) that occurs within the broader biotope complex of LR.MLR.BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores). The band of channel wrack delimits the upper extent of the biotope complex.

Small periwinkles (Melarhaphe neritoides) seek shelter within a tiny pit of the bed rock on the upper shore. Habitat classification:  LR.LMR.BF.PelB (Pelvetia canaliculata and barnacles on moderately exposed shores).

Spiral wrack (Fucus spiralis) and barnacles exhibit a patch work distribution within which rock pools occur. Fucus spiralis characterizes the biotope LR.MLR.BF.FspiB (Fucus spiralis on full salinity exposed to moderately exposed upper eulittoral rock) that occurs within the broader biotope complex of LR.MLR.BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores).

Spiral wrack (Fucus spiralis) in its reproductive phase with swollen ends to the frond known as receptacles that contain the conceptacles from which gametes are released. Habitat classification: LR.MLR.BF.FspiB (Fucus spiralis on full salinity exposed to moderately exposed upper eulittoral rock).

Spiral wrack (Fucus spiralis) and barnacles exhibit a patch work like distribution. Habitat classification: Habitat classification: LR.MLR.BF.FspiB (Fucus spiralis on full salinity exposed to moderately exposed upper eulittoral rock).

A dog whelk (Nucella lapillus) on the mid shore. Habitat classification: LR.MLR.BF.FspiB (Fucus spiralis on full salinity exposed to moderately exposed upper eulittoral rock).

Coralline crust dominates this small rock pool that acts as a refuge for a multiple of fauna, including anemones, algae, mussels and periwinkles. Coralline crusts characterizes the biotope LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools) that occurs within the broader biotope complex LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).

Coral weed (Corallina officinalis) grows as an epiphyte of the coralline crust and periwinkles seek refuge within the small pool. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

The common blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) also occurs within the small pool. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

A coralline crust dominated rock pool with the coral weed (Corallina officinalis), Limpets, Breadcrumb sponge (Halichondria (Halichondria) panacea), ephemeral green algae and a brown seaweed. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

In some cases coralline pools can become overwhelmed by the seasonal growth in ephemeral green algae.  Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

Coralline pools situated closer to the low tide mark are richer in seaweed species.  Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

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

Beadlet anemones (Actinia equina) can be found amongst the rock pools. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).

Rock pools further down the shore are home to Snake locks anemones (Anemonia viridis). Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).

A hermit crab (Paguroidea) in a rock pool. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).

Large rock pools occur on the shore. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).

The boulders within these larger pool are encrusted in coralline crusts, their vertical extend marking the lowest water levels experienced by the rock pool. Barnacles, limpets (Patella vulgata), snakelocks anemones (Anemonia viridis) and a variety of seaweeds also occur. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).