MBDP-NI: S of Bruce's Cave, Rathlin Island

Place name : S of Bruce's Cave, Rathlin Island. County : Antrim

Date : 2024-10-16 GPS : 55.29403,-6.16900. Depth : -15.0 to -30.0 m. [ View map ]

Site Description : East coast of Rathlin Island. Current-swept upper circalittoral stable cobbles and boulders with diverse hydroid turt and erect bryozoan turf; large rounded boulders lower infralittoral with sparse kelp, coraline crusts, Delesseria sanguinea and other foliose reds

Sea beech Delesseria sanguinea [00:00:45]; Rose coral bryozoan Pentapora foliacea [00:00:52]; Hydroid Tamarisca tamarisca [00:01:24]; Hedgehog sponge Polymastia boletiformis [00:01:48]; Fan hydroid Polyplumaria flabellata [00:01:58]; Brown hydroid Diphasia alata [00:02:11]; Rose coral bryozoan Pentapora foliacea [00:03:19]; Rare hydroids Diphasia alata, Diphasia fallax & Polyplumaria flabellata [00:03:50]; Cup sponge Axinella infundibuliformis [00:04:12]; Yellow hydroid Sertularella gayi [00:04:21]; Beautiful eyelash weed Calliblepharis ciliata [00:04:42]; King scallop Pecten maximus [00:05:28]; Netted wing weed Dictyopteris polypodioides [00:05:59]; Forest kelp Laminaria hyperborea [00:06:30]; Sea beech Delesseria sanguinea [00:06:51]; Sea oak Halidrys siliquosa [00:06:58].

Species list (74 species recorded):

PORIFERA
Sycon ciliatum
Dysidea fragilis
Axinella dissimilis
Axinella infundibuliformis
Stelligera stuposa
Polymastia boletiformis
Hymedesmia paupertas
CNIDARIA
Lucernariopsis campanulata
Abietinaria abietina
Diphasia alata
Diphasia fallax
Sertularella gayi
Tamarisca tamarisca
Nemertesia antennina
Polyplumaria flabellata
Schizotricha frutescens
Aglaophenia tubulifera
Obelia geniculata
Alcyonium digitatum
Virgularia mirabilis
Epizoanthus couchii
Cylista elegans
Actinothoe sphyrodeta
Caryophyllia smithii
ANNELIDA
Chaetopterus sp.
Salmacina dysteri
CRUSTACEA
Adna anglica
Homarus gammarus
Munida rugosa
MOLLUSCA
Calliostoma zizyphinum
Crimora papillata
Edmundsella pedata
Pecten maximus
Aequipecten opercularis
Venus casina
Eledone cirrhosa
BRYOZOA
Crisia denticulata
Crisia eburnea
Alcyonidium diaphanum
Flustra foliacea
Securiflustra securifrons
Cellaria fistulosa
Cellaria sinuosa
Porella compressa
Pentapora foliacea
ECHINODERMATA
Porania pulvillus
Crossaster papposus
Henricia oculata
Marthasterias glacialis
TUNICATA
Ascidia mentula
Polycarpa pomaria
Botryllus sp.
Pyura squamulosa
PISCES
Scyliorhinus canicula
Centrolabrus exoletus
Ctenolabrus rupestris
Labrus mixtus
RHODOPHYTA
Calliblepharis ciliata
Metacallophyllis laciniata
Kallymenia reniformis
Meredithia microphylla
Stenogramma interruptum
Heterosiphonia plumosa
Acrosorium venulosum
Cryptopleura ramosa
Delesseria sanguinea
Drachiella heterocarpa
Hypoglossum hypoglossoides
CHROMOPHYTA
Halopteris filicina
Dictyopteris polypodioides
Carpomitra costata
Laminaria hyperborea
Saccharina latissima
Halidrys siliquosa

Biotope 1 : Mixed faunal turf communities.

PORIFERA
Dysidea fragilis R
Axinella dissimilis R
Axinella infundibuliformis O
Stelligera stuposa R
Polymastia boletiformis R
Hymedesmia paupertas O
CNIDARIA
Lucernariopsis campanulata R
Abietinaria abietina O
Diphasia alata F
Diphasia fallax C
Sertularella gayi F
Tamarisca tamarisca O
Nemertesia antennina O
Polyplumaria flabellata C
Schizotricha frutescens R
Aglaophenia tubulifera C
Virgularia mirabilis R
Epizoanthus couchii R
Cylista elegans P
Actinothoe sphyrodeta O
Caryophyllia smithii O
ANNELIDA
Chaetopterus sp. O
Salmacina dysteri R
Salmacina dysteri P
CRUSTACEA
Adna anglica P
Homarus gammarus R
Munida rugosa R
MOLLUSCA
Calliostoma zizyphinum R
Crimora papillata R
Edmundsella pedata R
Pecten maximus R
Aequipecten opercularis R
Venus casina R
Eledone cirrhosa R
BRYOZOA
Crisia denticulata A
Crisia eburnea C
Flustra foliacea C
Securiflustra securifrons R
Cellaria sinuosa F
Porella compressa R
Pentapora foliacea O
ECHINODERMATA
Porania pulvillus R
Crossaster papposus R
Henricia oculata R
Marthasterias glacialis R
TUNICATA
Ascidia mentula O
Polycarpa pomaria O
Botryllus sp. R
Pyura squamulosa R
PISCES
Centrolabrus exoletus R
Ctenolabrus rupestris O
Labrus mixtus R
RHODOPHYTA
Calliblepharis ciliata F
Metacallophyllis laciniata P
Kallymenia reniformis O
Meredithia microphylla P
Stenogramma interruptum O
Heterosiphonia plumosa O
Acrosorium venulosum O
Cryptopleura ramosa R
Delesseria sanguinea O
Drachiella heterocarpa O
Hypoglossum hypoglossoides O
CHROMOPHYTA
Halopteris filicina R
Dictyopteris polypodioides O

Biotope 2 : Foliose red seaweeds on exposed lower infralittoral rock.

PORIFERA
Sycon ciliatum R
CNIDARIA
Sertularella gayi R
Aglaophenia tubulifera R
Obelia geniculata O
Alcyonium digitatum R
Caryophyllia smithii O
MOLLUSCA
Edmundsella pedata R
Pecten maximus R
BRYOZOA
Crisia denticulata F
Alcyonidium diaphanum R
Cellaria fistulosa O
PISCES
Scyliorhinus canicula R
Centrolabrus exoletus R
Ctenolabrus rupestris R
RHODOPHYTA
Metacallophyllis laciniata O
Kallymenia reniformis F
Heterosiphonia plumosa C
Acrosorium venulosum F
Cryptopleura ramosa F
Delesseria sanguinea C
CHROMOPHYTA
Dictyopteris polypodioides C
Carpomitra costata R
Laminaria hyperborea O
Saccharina latissima O
Halidrys siliquosa R

Marine Biodiversity Data Portal - NI