Marmara coralligenous communities on moderately exposed circalittoral rock

The habitat is found in the Sea of Marmara only and is closely related to Mediterranean types. Coralligenous habitats are hard bottoms of biogenic origin mainly produced by the accumulation of calcareous encrusting algae growing in dim light conditions. Although more typical of the circalittoral zone, they can also develop to some extent in dimly-lit infralittoral zones such as vertical walls, deep channels, or overhangs. Coralligenous bioconcretions are always very complex in structure allowing the development of several kinds of communities including those dominated by living algae (on the upper part of the concretions), suspension feeders (upper and lower part of the concretions, wall cavities, and overhangs of the build-up), borers (inside the concretions), and even soft-bottom fauna (in the sediment deposited in cavities and holes).

Código Eunis 2021: MC143