S of Mine Head (outer), Youghal to Dungarvan.

Dive number: 930927/01 Date: 27 September 1993

Site Description: The site was located offshore from a prominent headland midway along a south-east facing stretch of coastline. The seabed at 23.9 m BCD was a flat platform of what appeared to be extensively bored limestone rock with a dense layer of silt. Adjacent to the rock were areas of broken boulders formed from the sandstone rock overlying the ? limestone, and an area of burrowed soft mud forming a mosaic of three habitats.

Map site - Google maps: 51.974,-7.58033

Subsite: Lower circalittoral silted boulders and cobbles on bedrock and gravel. details

Subsite Description: Lower circalittoral silted boulders and cobbles on bedrock and gravel characterised by Antedon bifida on the vertical boulders with the cucumber Thyone roscovita in gravel between them. Munida rugosa were frequent under the boulders and in the crevices.

Subsite: Deep mud with burrowing megafauna. details

Subsite Description: Plain of mud which was extensively burrowed by Nephrops norvegicus and Goneplax rhomboides. Coarse layer of gravel/pebbles was present 15 to 20 cm below the surface.

Subsite: Lower circalittoral bedrock platform with silt. details

Subsite Description: Lower circalittoral bedrock platform with silt characterised by the boring form of Cliona celata and Caryophyllia smithii on the rock, with Ophiura albida on the sediment. Ophiothrix fragilis was locally abundant, with small patches of Isozoanthus sulcatus. Hydroids were common.

Ophiocomina nigra	Rhizocaulus verticillatus	Vesicularia spinosa	Isozoanthus sulcatus	Thyone roscovita	Munida rugosa
Ocenebra erinacea	Ophiocomina nigra	Ophiocomina nigra	Antedon bifida	Abietinaria abietina, Ophiocomina nigra	Abietinaria abietina, Munida rugosa
Ophiothrix fragilis, Ophiocomina nigra