The benthos of the northern part of the Velebit Channel (Adriatic sea, Croatia)

Infralittoral and circalittoral hard bottom communities in the northern part of the Velebit Channel were investigated. The benthos was collected along six transects: three on Prvić Island (Šilo, Samonjin, Stražica) and three facing them along the Velebit mountain coast (Grmac, Žrnovnica, Kola). Three benthic biocoenoses were noted: the biocoenosis of photophylic algae, precoralligenous facies and a climax of coralligenous biocoenosis, and the biocoenosis of semi-dark caves. A total of 431 taxa were recorded: 60 taxa of algae and 371 taxa of fauna. Along the three coastal sults were compared using two statistical methods the application of the Sorensen index of similarity and cluster analysis. The most topographically and geomorphologically similar transects were Šilo and Samonjin, while Stražica and Žrnovnica were the most distant.