Life between the algae
Benthic algae, i.e. algae that are attached to the substrate, provide a habitat for countless animals. Since most of these species are quite small, you have to make an effort to spot them. Many can only be found by picking off the algae and examining them with a magnifying glass.
The best living space is provided by various species of Cystoseira, whose dense branches offer an ideal hiding place for numerous animals. However, most of these animals are so small that they are difficult to see without a magnifying glass, let alone identify. To get an impression of their diversity, one can simply sweep through the algae with a fine hand net, examine a few picked algae under a magnifying glass or shake them out into a glass of sea water. It is amazing what you can find!
The various species of Cystoseira and other shrubby brown algae provide an ideal habitat for many small animals.
One can find different kinds of worms, small crustaceans and brittle stars.
small crab (Pisa spec.)
amphipod, maybe Maera inaequipes
a tiny Sceleton shrimp (family Caprellidae), on hydrozoa that grow on Cystoseira
brittle star, Ophiopsila aranea
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