Species database

Marine species in France (Atlantic)

45 species divers have recorded here, each verified against the World Register of Marine Species. Log your dives on DIVR to add to the record.

Commonly seen

18

You have a good chance of spotting these on a typical dive.

Dead Man's Fingers (Alcyonium digitatum)common

Alcyonium digitatum

Dead Man's Fingers

Invertebrates
Opelet Anemone (Anemonia viridis)common

Anemonia viridis

Opelet Anemone

Invertebrates
Common Sea Star (Asterias rubens)common

Asterias rubens

Common Sea Star

Invertebrates
Common Dragonet (Callionymus lyra)common

Callionymus lyra

Common Dragonet

Fish
Edible Crab (Cancer pagurus)common

Cancer pagurus

Edible Crab

Invertebrates
Common Shore Crab (Carcinus maenas)common

Carcinus maenas

Common Shore Crab

Invertebrates
Gray Seal (Halichoerus grypus)common

Halichoerus grypus

Gray Seal

Mammals
Common Spider Crab (Maja squinado)common

Maja squinado

Common Spider Crab

Invertebrates
Whiting (Merlangius merlangus)common

Merlangius merlangus

Whiting

Fish
European Hake (Merluccius merluccius)common

Merluccius merluccius

European Hake

Fish
Devil Crab (Necora puber)common

Necora puber

Devil Crab

Invertebrates
European Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)common

Pleuronectes platessa

European Plaice

Fish
Roker (Raja clavata)common

Raja clavata

Roker

Fish
Dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula)common

Scyliorhinus canicula

Dogfish

Fish
common

Solea solea

Common Sole

Fish
Atlantic Horse Mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)common

Trachurus trachurus

Atlantic Horse Mackerel

Fish
Bib (Trisopterus luscus)common

Trisopterus luscus

Bib

Fish
common

Trisopterus minutus

Cepelan

Fish

Occasionally seen

14

Regular residents, but not on every dive.

Queen Scallop (Aequipecten opercularis)occasional

Aequipecten opercularis

Queen Scallop

Invertebrates
Brooding Snake Star (Amphipholis squamata)occasional

Amphipholis squamata

Brooding Snake Star

Invertebrates
Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus)occasional

Cetorhinus maximus

Basking Shark

Fish
Boring Sponge (Cliona celata)occasional

Cliona celata

Boring Sponge

Invertebrates
Atlantic Herring (Clupea harengus)occasional

Clupea harengus

Atlantic Herring

Fish
Pink Sea Fan (Eunicella verrucosa)occasional

Eunicella verrucosa

Pink Sea Fan

Invertebrates
Ballan Wrasse (Labrus bergylta)occasional

Labrus bergylta

Ballan Wrasse

Fish
Common Dab (Limanda limanda)occasional

Limanda limanda

Common Dab

Fish
Spiny Starfish (Marthasterias glacialis)occasional

Marthasterias glacialis

Spiny Starfish

Invertebrates
Common Brittlestar (Ophiothrix fragilis)occasional

Ophiothrix fragilis

Common Brittlestar

Invertebrates
Bernhard's Hermit Crab (Pagurus bernhardus)occasional

Pagurus bernhardus

Bernhard's Hermit Crab

Invertebrates
Common Seal (Phoca vitulina)occasional

Phoca vitulina

Common Seal

Mammals
Common Porcelain Crab (Pisidia longicornis)occasional

Pisidia longicornis

Common Porcelain Crab

Invertebrates
Common Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)occasional

Sepia officinalis

Common Cuttlefish

Invertebrates

Rare finds

13

Lucky encounters worth logging.

Beadlet Anemone (Actinia equina)rare

Actinia equina

Beadlet Anemone

Invertebrates
Golden Star Tunicate (Botryllus schlosseri)rare

Botryllus schlosseri

Golden Star Tunicate

Invertebrates
Solenette (Buglossidium luteum)rare

Buglossidium luteum

Solenette

Fish
Mud Sagartia (Cereus pedunculatus)rare

Cereus pedunculatus

Mud Sagartia

Invertebrates
Baked Bean Ascidian (Dendrodoa grossularia)rare

Dendrodoa grossularia

Baked Bean Ascidian

Invertebrates
Pea Urchin (Echinocyamus pusillus)rare

Echinocyamus pusillus

Pea Urchin

Invertebrates
Galathea intermediarare

Galathea intermedia

Invertebrates
Cuckoo Wrasse (Labrus mixtus)rare

Labrus mixtus

Cuckoo Wrasse

Fish
Pacific Oyster (Magallana gigas)rare

Magallana gigas

Pacific Oyster

Invertebrates
Gehoornde Slijmvis (Parablennius gattorugine)rare

Parablennius gattorugine

Gehoornde Slijmvis

Fish
Green Pollack (Pollachius pollachius)rare

Pollachius pollachius

Green Pollack

Fish
Green Sea Urchin (Psammechinus miliaris)rare

Psammechinus miliaris

Green Sea Urchin

Invertebrates
Dahlia Anemone (Urticina felina)rare

Urticina felina

Dahlia Anemone

Invertebrates