List of British Isles rockpool life

The rockpools of the British Isles are a feature of rocky shores and have a particular life of their own. Conditions within them are different from the open sea, as they are exposed to increased sunlight, as well as predation from land-based animals and accidental damage from tourism. Some, such as those in Wembury Marine Centre, are formally protected.

Beadlet anemones, whelks, limpets, jellyfish and Corallina in a rock pool on the rocky shore at Aberdour Bay

Animals

Fish

Coryphoblennius galerita

Echiichthys vipera, the lesser weever

• Common goby, Pomatoschistus microps
• Giant goby, Gobius cobitis Not Ireland
• Painted goby, Pomatoschistus pictus
• Rock goby, Gobius paganellus
• Sand goby, Pomatoschistus minutus
• Two-spotted goby, Gobiusculus flavescens
• Shanny, Lipophrys pholis
• Long-spined sea scorpion, Taurulus bubalis
• Five-bearded rockling, Ciliata mustela
• Butterfish, Pholis gunnellus
• Snake pipefish, Entelurus aequoreus
• Tompot blenny, Parablennius gattorugine
• Montagu's blenny, Coryphoblennius galerita
• Small-headed clingfish, Apletodon dentatus [1] Not Ireland
• Two-spotted clingfish, Diplecogaster bimaculata[2]
• Corkwing wrasse, Crenilabrus melops
• Great pipefish, Syngnathus acus
• Sea stickleback, Spinachia spinachia
• Lumpsucker, Cyclopterus lumpus
• Lesser weever, Echiichthys vipera
• Common dragonet, Callionymus lyra

Molluscs

Sepia officinalis, the common cuttlefish

Cephalopods

• Common cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis
• Curled octopus, Eledone cirrhosa
• Common octopus, Octopus vulgaris
• Little cuttle, Sepiola atlantica

Scaphopods

• Tusk shell, Antalis entalis

Gastropods

Patella vulgata, the common limpet

• Keyhole limpet, Diodora apertura
• Slit limpet, Eumarginula reticulata
• Tortoiseshell limpet, Acmaea tessulata
• Common limpet, Patella vulgata
• Flat topshell, Gibbula umbilicalis
• Thick topshell, Monodonta lineata
• Common topshell, Calliostoma zizyphynum
• Common periwinkle, Littorina littorea
• Flat periwinkle, Littorina littoralis
• Rough periwinkle, Littorina saxatilis
• Dogwhelk, Nucella lapillus
• Netted Dogwhelk Nassarius reticulatus
• Common sea slug, Aeolidia papillosa
• Jorunna nudibranch Jorunna tomentosa
• Orange-clubbed nudibranch Limacia clavigera
• Rough-mantled doris Onchidoris bilamellata
• Whip fan nudibranch Tritonia nilsodhneri
• Necklace moon snail, Euspira catena

Bivalves

• Blue mussel, Mytilus edulis
• Cockle, Cerastoderma edule
• Rough cockle, Acanthocardia tuberculata
• Prickly cockle, Acanthocardia echinata
• Bean clam, Donax semistriatus
• Golden banded wedge bean clam, Donax vittatus
• Razor shell, Pharus legumen
• Pod razorshell, Ensis ensis
• Pod razorshell, Ensis siliqua
• Thin tellin clam, Angulus tenuis
• Baltic tellin clam, Macoma balthica
• Ocean quahog, Arctica islandica
• Venus clam, Dosinia lupinus
• Venus clam, Chamelea striatula
• Striped venus clam, Chamelea gallina
• Smooth clam, Callista chione
• Pullet carpet clam, Venerupis corrugata
• Rayed trough clam, Mactra stultorum
• Cut trough clam, Spisula subtruncata
• Surf clam, Spisula solida
• Otter clam, Lutraria lutraria
• Otter clam, Lutraria angustior
• Piddock, Pholas dactylus
• European flat oyster, Ostrea edulis
• Flat oyster, Ostrea lamellosa
• Great scallop, Pecten maximus
• Queen scallop, Aequipecten opercularis
• Scallop, Aequipecten heliacus

Arthropods

Crustaceans

Tigriopus brevicornis, tidepool copepods in their habitat

Carcinus maenas, the shore crab

Pagurus bernhardus, the common hermit crab

• Sea slater, Ligia oceanica

Barnacles

• Acorn barnacle, Semibalanus balanoides

Copepods

• Tidepool copepod, Tigriopus brevicornis

Crabs

• Broad-clawed porcelain crab, Porcellana platycheles
• Edible crab, Cancer pagurus
• Shore crab, Carcinus maenas
• Common hermit crab, Pagurus bernhardus
• European spider crab, Maja squinado
• Small hermit crab, Diogenes pugilator
• Velvet crab, Necora puber
• Hairy crab, Pilumnus hirtellus
• Circular crab, Atelecyclus rotundatus
• Sandy swimming crab, Liocarcinus depurator
• Masked crab, Corystes cassivelaunus
• Short-legged spider crab, Eurynome aspera
• Furrowed crab, Xantho incisus
• Long-legged spider crab, Macropodia rostrata
• Great spider crab, Hyas araneus
• Long-clawed porcelain crab, Pisidia longicornis

Prawns and shrimp

Palaemon serratus

• Common prawn, Palaemon serratus
• Rockpool prawn, Palaemon elegans
• Brown shrimp, Crangon crangon

Lobsters and squat lobsters

• Black squat lobster, Galathea squamifera
• European lobster, Homarus gammarus
• Scampi, Nephrops norvegicus

Insects

• Springtail, Anurida maritima

Cnidarians

Actinia equina, the beadlet anemone

Sea anemones

• Beadlet anemone, Actinia equina
• Strawberry anemone Actinia fragracea
• Snakelocks anemone Anemonia sulcata
• Dahlia anemone Urticina felina
• Elegant anemone Sagartia elegans

Jellyfish

• Common jellyfish, Aurelia aurita
• Compass jellyfish, Chrysaora hysoscella
• Lion's mane jellyfish, Cyanea capillata
• Dustbin-lid jellyfish, Rhizostoma pulmo
• Jellyfish, Rhizostoma octopus
• Blue jellyfish, Cyanea lamarckii
• Mauve stinger, Pelagia noctiluca

Hydrozoa

• Sea fur, Obelia
• Sea hedgehog hydroid, Halecium muricatum
• Clava
• Oaten pipes hydroid, Tubularia indivisa

Echinoderms

Asterias rubens, the common starfish

Starfish

• Common starfish, Asterias rubens
• Cushion starfish, Asterina gibbosa
• Spiny starfish, Marthasterias glacialis
• Common brittle star, Ophiothrix fragilis
• Serpent star, Ophiura ophiura

Sea urchins

• Edible sea urchin, Echinus esculentus
• Purple sea urchin, Paracentrotus lividus
• Green sea urchin, Psammechinus miliaris
• Purple heart urchin, Spatangus purpureus
• Sea potato, Echinocardium cordatum

Worms

• Green leaf worm, Eulalia viridis
• Spirorbis borealis
• Aphrodita aculeata

Nemertea

• Ribbon worm, Lineus longissimus
• Ragworms, Nereididae
• Bloodworms, Glyceridae

Sponges

• Breadcrumb sponge, Halichondria panicea
• Purse sponge, Sycon raphanus

Sea-mat

Bryozoa

• Moss animal, Flustra foliacea
• Sea-mat, Membranipora membranacea

Tunicates

• Golden star ascidian, Botryllus schlosseri
• Vase tunicate, Ciona intestinalis

Plants

Algae

Fucus vesiculosus

Pelvetia canaliculata

Ascophyllum nodosum

• Beanweed, Scytosiphon lomentaria
• Bootlace weed, Chorda filum
• Dulse, Rhodymenia palmata
• Grass kelp, Enteromorpha intestinalis
• Green hairweed, Chaetomorpha linum
• Maiden's hair, Ectocarpus siliculosus
• Hen pen, Bryopsis plumosa
• Landlady's wig, Ahnfeltia plicata
• Peacock's tail, Padina pavonia
• Sea lettuce, Ulva lactuca
• Rockweed, Fucus distichus
• Sea noodle, Nemalion helminthoides
• Sea oak, Halidrys siliquosa
• Sea sorrel, Desmarestia ligulata
• Thongweed, Himanthalia elongata
• Velvet horn, Codium tomentosum
• Bladder wrack, Fucus vesiculosus
• Channelled wrack, Pelvetia canaliculata
• Knotted wrack, Ascophyllum nodosum
• Spiral wrack, Fucus spiralis
• Rainbow wrack, Cytoseira tamariscifolia
• Brown forking weed, Bifurcaria bifurcata
• Coral weed, Corallina officinalis
• Common green branched weed, Cladophora rupestris
• Sea beech, Delessaria sanguinea
• Sea cauliflower, Leathesia difformis
• Sea cellophane, Monostroma grevillei
• Prasiola stipitata
• Punctaria latifolia
• Oyster thief, Colpomenia peregrina

Lichens

• Verrucaria morpha
• Verrucaria mucosa

References

• Barratt, John H.; Yonge, C. M. (1958). Collins Pocket Guide to the Sea Shore. William Collins, Sons.

Related

Collections Botaniques de l'Université de Bourgogne Rockpooling: The Guide to Finding Marine Creatures

External links

• Encyclopaedia of Marine Life