Philocheras monacanthus and the crabs Liocarcinus vernalis and Portumnus latipes
(Salas et al. 1984; García Muñoz et al. 2008). These two latter species prey on the
foot of Donax species (Salas et al. 2001). From 5 m downwards, the faunal
assemblage shows higher species richness than the surf zone (Urra et al. 2011) but
still with dominance of few species, such as the commercially exploited bivalve
Chamelea gallina (locally known as chirla), the most characteristic species of this
assemblage at 5–10 m depth, together with Acanthocardia tuberculata, Spisula
subtruncata, Donax venustus and Tellina tenuis. The bivalves Callista chione and
Glycymeris nummaria are abundant between 15 and 20 m depth. Most of the
gastropods are scavengers (Tritia reticulata, Tritia pygmaea) or carnivorous (Bela
zonata, Euspira spp.). The hermit crab Diogenes pugilator is the dominant decapod
in this bottom (García Muñoz et al. 2008), with maximum abundance between 5 and
15 m depth. Other common decapods are the crabs Atelecyclus undecimdentatus and
Liocarcinus depurator. The burrowing echinoderms Echinocardium cordatum and
Echinocardium mediterraneum coexist in this geographic area and type of bottom,
together with dense populations of the epibenthic Ophiura ophiura and different
species of Astropecten. The polychaete Ophelia neglecta is also common in this
bottom, together with different species of nereids. Many species of fish, such as the
sparids Lithognathus mormyrus and Diplodus spp., make incursions on these bottom
when foraging, but most characteristic and permanently living in this habitat are
flatfish such as Bothus podas and the weeverfish Trachinus draco and Echiichthys
vipera (García Raso et al. 1992, 2010). A number of tropical West African species,
Fig. 9.16 (a) Soft bottoms at Caleta de Vélez (Málaga) with ripple marks generated by wave
action. Most of the animals are infaunal but a few dwell on the sediment surface: (b) Luidia
atlantidea, a tropical West African element, (c) Ophiura ophiura and (d) the dominant hermit crab
Diogenes pugilator [Pablo Marina]
9 Benthic Fauna of Littoral and Deep-Sea Habitats of the Alboran Sea: A. . .
321
(Salas et al. 1984; García Muñoz et al. 2008). These two latter species prey on the
foot of Donax species (Salas et al. 2001). From 5 m downwards, the faunal
assemblage shows higher species richness than the surf zone (Urra et al. 2011) but
still with dominance of few species, such as the commercially exploited bivalve
Chamelea gallina (locally known as chirla), the most characteristic species of this
assemblage at 5–10 m depth, together with Acanthocardia tuberculata, Spisula
subtruncata, Donax venustus and Tellina tenuis. The bivalves Callista chione and
Glycymeris nummaria are abundant between 15 and 20 m depth. Most of the
gastropods are scavengers (Tritia reticulata, Tritia pygmaea) or carnivorous (Bela
zonata, Euspira spp.). The hermit crab Diogenes pugilator is the dominant decapod
in this bottom (García Muñoz et al. 2008), with maximum abundance between 5 and
15 m depth. Other common decapods are the crabs Atelecyclus undecimdentatus and
Liocarcinus depurator. The burrowing echinoderms Echinocardium cordatum and
Echinocardium mediterraneum coexist in this geographic area and type of bottom,
together with dense populations of the epibenthic Ophiura ophiura and different
species of Astropecten. The polychaete Ophelia neglecta is also common in this
bottom, together with different species of nereids. Many species of fish, such as the
sparids Lithognathus mormyrus and Diplodus spp., make incursions on these bottom
when foraging, but most characteristic and permanently living in this habitat are
flatfish such as Bothus podas and the weeverfish Trachinus draco and Echiichthys
vipera (García Raso et al. 1992, 2010). A number of tropical West African species,
Fig. 9.16 (a) Soft bottoms at Caleta de Vélez (Málaga) with ripple marks generated by wave
action. Most of the animals are infaunal but a few dwell on the sediment surface: (b) Luidia
atlantidea, a tropical West African element, (c) Ophiura ophiura and (d) the dominant hermit crab
Diogenes pugilator [Pablo Marina]
9 Benthic Fauna of Littoral and Deep-Sea Habitats of the Alboran Sea: A. . .
321