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.

Fish

 * 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 Not Ireland
 * Two-spotted clingfish, Diplecogaster bimaculata
 * Corkwing wrasse, Crenilabrus melops
 * Great pipefish, Syngnathus acus
 * Sea stickleback, Spinachia spinachia
 * Lumpsucker, Cyclopterus lumpus
 * Lesser weever, Echiichthys vipera
 * Common dragonet, Callionymus lyra

Molluscs

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


 * Scaphopods
 * Tusk shell, Antalis entalis


 * Gastropods
 * 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

Crustaceans

 * 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
 * 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

 * 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

 * 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

Bryozoa

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

Tunicates

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

Algae

 * 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

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