scuba diving, coastal infrastructures and global change, but specific studies have not
been conducted in this area so far.
9.6 Soft-Bottom Communities of the Continental Shelf
Like in most marine environments, sedimentary bottoms are predominant in the
Alboran Sea, where fine and medium sand generally extend down to 20–30 m depth,
with more muddy patches in front of the river mouths, harbours and deeper zones
(MAPAMA 2019). Exceptions are the Strait of Gibraltar and some sectors of the
littoral of Granada, characterized by the presence of many cliffs in the coastal line.
There, the shelf is very narrow, and most of the infralittoral soft bottom consists of
patches of coarse bioclastic sand (Rueda and Salas 2003). Nevertheless, at both sides
Fig. 9.15 Animals are the sole inhabitants of the cave wall and roof, here in the Cerro Gordo cave
(province of Granada). (a) Brachiopods are represented here by Novocrania anomala and
Megathiris detruncata; (b) shrimp Stenopus spinosus and (c) sponge Chondrosia reniformis are
other characteristic elements [Luis Sánchez Tocino]
9 Benthic Fauna of Littoral and Deep-Sea Habitats of the Alboran Sea: A. . .
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