Hoi Ha Wan highest ranking soft shore in Hong Kong in terms of biodiversity

In 2006 a Study on the Soft Shore in Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park was published¹ which identified the soft shore of HHWMP as an ecologically important habitat, as it supports the highest number of species (in terms of Polychaeta, Crustacea and Mollusca) when compared with 40 other soft shores in Hong Kong and is thus the highest ranking soft shore among 40 other soft shores in Hong Kong in terms of biodiversity. 

The following diagram shows the study area:

Literature review

The following is an extract from the study and documents the literature review undertaken for the Biodiversity Survey:

2.1. Biodiversity survey

A comprehensive literature review on relevant studies was conducted to establish a species list of the flora and fauna observed in the HHWMP soft shore in the past (Table 1). The sampling locations of previous studies have been renamed to correspond to Sections A – D of the present study, as described previously in Section 1.3. A total of 22 surveys have been conducted in HHWMP, covering subtidal, sandy shore, freshwater stream, rocky shore and mangrove habitats.

Sections A and B have received the most research attention, while Sections D and E have received the least research effort, in which only two Ocypode sp. (ghost crab) and two Oligochaeta species have been reported. A total of 309 species have been found including five mangrove plant species, nine algal species, one protozoan species, and the remaining were animal species. Terrestrial fauna comprised mainly insects (24 species) and gastropods (6 species), which were all found in section B. To discount these terrestrial species, a total of 264 marine macrobenthos could be observed at the HHW soft shore and they could be divided into five major taxonomic groups including Mollusca (114 species), Crustacea (28 species), Polychaeta (70 species) and Oligochaeta (32 species). Dominant marine species included bivalves Musculista senhausia, nerites Clithon oualaniensis, Ostracods, polychaete Family Nereidae, Eusyllis sp. and Aonides sp., and flatworms (Table 1). Other taxonomic groups included Cnidaria (2 species), Porifera (1 species), Nemertea (8 species), Nematoda (1 species), Platyhelminthes (1 species) and Echinodermata (7 species).

Table 1. Flora and fauna recorded in the soft shore at the Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park (Note: the abundance recorded in Shea (1992) represents total number of individuals in his sampling. It can, therefore, be used to indicate relative abundance only; the abundance in Sundberg et al. (1992) and Liu (1992) were expressed as number per 0.00175 m³ and number per 0.25 m², respectively)

Taxa. Sampling location. Abundance

PROTOZOA

Foraminifera Section B (sandy shore) 1q

CNIDARIA

Hydrozoa

Hydra sp. Section B (estuary area) 3q

Anthozoa

Anthopleura japonica Rocky shores (western side) 18m

INSECTA

Ephemeroptera

Baetis spp. Section B (upper stream) 79q

Caenis Section B (upper stream) 5q

Chorotepes sp. Section B (upper stream) 5q

Cinygmina sp. Section B (upper stream) 9q

Indobaetis sp. Section B (upper stream) 25q

Paegniodes cupulatus Section B (upper stream) 3q

Procloeon sp. Section B (upper stream) 57q

Pseudocleon Section B (upper stream) 51q

Plecoptera

Neoperla sp. Section B (upper stream) 1q

Coleoptera

Elmidae Section B (upper stream) 2q

Psephenoides sp. Section B (upper stream) 5q

Hemiptera

Corixidae Section B (upper stream) 3q

Tricoptera

Anisocentropus maculates Section B (upper stream) 11q

Cheumatopsyche Section B (upper stream) 1q

Coerodes hongkongensis Section B (upper stream) 2q

Hydroptilidae Section B (upper stream) 1q

Diptera

Ceratopogonidae Section B (upper stream) 2q

Chironominae Section B (upper stream, stream mouth and sandy shores) 144, 12, 60q

Empididae Section B (upper stream) 6q

Orthocladiinae Section B (upper stream) 54q

Similium Section B (upper stream) 12q

Tanypodinae Section B (upper stream) 18q

Tipulidae Section B (upper stream) 7q

Collembola Section B (upper stream) 1q

MOLLUSCA

Bivalvia

Atactodea striata Section B (sandy shore) 1q

Circe sp. Section B (stream mouth) 4q

Donax cuneatus Section B (stream mouth and sandy shores) 15, 27q

Donax faba Section B (stream mouth) 7q

Isognomon ephippium Rocky shores (west side) 23m

Musculista senhausia Section B (stream mouth and sandy shores) 127, 151q

Pinna bicolor Subtidal NAn

Saccostrea cucullata Rocky shores (eastern and western sides) 34n

Tapes philippinarum Section B (sandy shore) 2q

Tapes variegatus Section B (stream mouth and sandy shores) 1, 3q

Mesodesmatidae sp. Section B (stream mouth) 1q

Gastropoda

Nudibranchia

Armina punctilopsis No specified locations indicated NAl

Chromodoris lineolata Subtidal NAq

Chromodoris orientalis Subtidal NAq

Chromodoris rubrocornuta Subtidal NAq

Chromodoris sinensis Subtidal NAq

Glossodoris atromarginata Subtidal NAp

Glossodoris cincta Subtidal NAp

Gymnodoris inornata Subtidal NAq

Hypselodoris festiva Subtidal NAp

Hypselodoris maritime Subtidal NAp

Hypselodoris placida Subtidal NAp

Kaloplocamus acutus Subtidal NAq

Lamellana gymnota No specified locations indicated NAl

Noumea nivalis Subtidal NAq

Nudibranchia species Section B (sandy shore) 1q

Thiaridae

Brotia hainanensis Section B (upper stream) 2q

Melanoides tuberculata Section B (upper stream) 3q

Thiara scabra Section B (stream mouth) 31q

Assimineidae

Assiminea sp. Section B (stream mouth) 15q

Planorbidae

Ferrissia baconi (stream limpet)

Section B (upper stream) 7q

Scaphandridae

Eocylichna soyoae Section B (stream mouth) 1q

Fissurellidae

Diodora cruciata No specified locations indicated NAj

Scutus unguis No specified locations indicated NAj

Patellidae

Cellana luchuana No specified locations indicated NAj

Cellana toreuma Rocky shores (eastern and western sides) 1m

Cellana toreuma No specified locations indicated NAj

Collisella luchuana Rocky shores (eastern side) 1m

Acmaeidae

Patelloida pygmaea Section B (sandy shores) 2q

Patelloida pygmaea Rocky shores (eastern and western sides) 39m

Patelloida pygmaea No specified locations indicated NAj

Siphonarridae

Siphonaria atra Rocky shores (eastern and western sides) 10m

Siphonaria japonica Rocky shores (eastern and western sides) 4m

Siphonaria sirius Rocky shores (eastern and western sides) 7m

Trochidae

Chlorostoma argyrostoma No specified locations indicated NAj

Clanculus margaritarius No specified locations indicated NAj

Euchelus scaber No specified locations indicated NAj

Hybochelus sp. No specified locations indicated NAj

Monodonta labio Rocky shores (eastern and western sides) 14m

Monodonta labio No specified locations indicated NAj

Tectus maculatus No specified locations indicated NAj

Tectus pyramis No specified locations indicated NAj

Turbinidae

Clithon oualaniensis No specified locations indicated NAj

Dentarene loculosa No specified locations indicated NAj

Liotina sp. Section B (sandy shore) 4q

Lunella coronata Section B (stream mouth) 2q

Lunella coronata Rocky shores (eastern and western sides) 6m

Lunella coronata No specified locations indicated NAj

Neritidae

Clithon oualaniensis Section B (stream mouth and sandy shores) 179, 195q

Clithon retropictus Section B (upper stream and stream  mouth) 2, 3q

Nerita albicilla Rocky shores (eastern and western sides) 8m

Nerita albicilla No specified locations indicated NAj

Nerita chamaeleon Rocky shores (eastern side) 5m

Nerita chameleon No specified locations indicated NAj

Nerita polita No specified locations indicated NAj

Nerita squamulata No specified locations indicated NAj

Littorinidae

Littoraria articulata Section B (stream mouth) 1q

Littoraria articulata Rocky shores (west side) 1m

Littoraria articulata No specified locations indicated NAj

Littoraria brevicula No specified locations indicated NAj

Littoraria melanostoma No specified locations indicated NAj

Nodilittorina exigua Rocky shores (east and west sides) 5m

Nodilittorina radiata No specified locations indicated NAj

Nodilittorina vidua No specified locations indicated NAj

Nodillittorina pyramidalis Rocky shores (east side) 3m

Paesiella infracostata No specified locations indicated NAj

Paesiella lutulenta No specified locations indicated NAj

Paesiella roepstorffiana Section B (stream mouth) 6q

Paesiella roepstorffiana Rocky shores (east and west sides) 11m

Paesiella roepstorffiana No specified locations indicated NAj

Rissoidae

Phosinella sp. No specified locations indicated NAj

Rissoa sp. No specified locations indicated NAj

Turritellidae

Turritella bacillus subtidal NAj

Cerithiidae

Cerithium sp. No specified locations indicated NAj

Clypeomorus

batillariaeformis

No specified locations indicated NAj

Planaxidae

Planaxis sulcatus Rocky shores (eastern and western sides) 6m

Planaxis sulcata No specified locations indicated NAj

Potamididae

Batillaria carbonarium Rocky shores (west side) 4m

Batillaria carbonarium No specified locations indicated NAj

Batillaria multiformis Rocky shores (west side) 8m

Batillaria sordida Rocky shores (west side) 11m

Batillaria sordida No specified locations indicated NAj

Batillaria zonalis No specified locations indicated NAj

Cerithidea cingulata Section B (stream mouth) 54q

Cerithidea rhizophorarum No specified locations indicated NAj

Clypermorus brevis Rocky shores (west side) 10m

Terebralia sulcata Section B (stream mouth) 1q

Terebralia sulcata No specified locations indicated NAj

Calyptraeidae

Crepidula onyx No specified locations indicated NAj

Strombidae

Strombus luhuanus No specified locations indicated NAj

Strombus urceus No specified locations indicated NAj

Strombus vittatis No specified locations indicated NAj

Naticidae

Natica gualtieriana No specified locations indicated NAj

Polinices tumidus No specified locations indicated NAj

Cymatiidae

Linatella caudate No specified locations indicated NAj

Bursidae

Bursa rana No specified locations indicated NAj

Triphoridae

Viriola tricincta No specified locations indicated NAj

Eulimidae

Parvioris fulvescens No specified locations indicated NAj

Parvioris mortoni No specified locations indicated NAj

Muricidae

Chicoreus brunneus No specified locations indicated NAj

Chicoreus microphyllus No specified locations indicated NAj

Murex trapa No specified locations indicated NAj

Thaididae

Cronia margariticola No specified locations indicated NAj

Drupella rugosa No specified locations indicated NAj

Morula granulata No specified locations indicated NAj

Morula musiva Rocky shores (east and west sides) 6n

Morula musiva No specified locations indicated NAj

Thais clavigera Rocky shores (east and west sides) 8m

Thais clavigera No specified locations indicated NAj

Buccinidae

Babylonia areolata No specified locations indicated NAj

Babylonia lutosa No specified locations indicated NAj

Engina menkaena No specified locations indicated NAj

Pyrenidae

Pyrene bicincta No specified locations indicated NAj

Nassariidae

Nassarius celebensis No specified locations indicated NAj

Nassarius crematus No specified locations indicated NAj

Nassarius festivus No specified locations indicated NAj

Nassarius festivus No specified locations indicated NAb

Nassarius livescens No specified locations indicated NAj

Nassarius siquijorensis No specified locations indicated NAj

Fasciolariidae

Perisernia sp. No specified locations indicated NAj

Mitridae

Mitra aurantia No specified locations indicated NAj

Pterygia crenulata No specified locations indicated NAj

Turridae

Inquisitor flavidula Subtidal NAj

Lophitoma leucotropis Subtidal NAj

Turricola nelliae Subtidal NAj

Architectonicidae

Architectonica perspective Subtidal NAj

Pyramidellidae

Turbonilla sp. 1 No specified locations indicated NAj

Turbonilla sp. 2 No specified locations indicated NAq

Cephalaspidea

Philine orientalis Section B (sandy shore) 1q

Philine orientalis Section B (sandy shore) NAs

CRUSTACEA

Copepoda spp. Section B (streams, stream mouth, sandy shore) 92, 8, 51q

Cladocera spp. Section B (upper stream) 72q

Ostracoda spp. Section B (upper stream) 361q

Amphipoda Section B (stream mouth and sandy shores) 43, 83q

Tanaideacea Section B (stream mouth and sandy shores) 10, 1q

Cirripedia

Balanus albicostatus Rocky shores (western side) 13m

Pollicipes mitella Rocky shores (eastern side) 10m

Tetraclita japonica Rocky shores (eastern side) 1m

Isopoda

Oniscidea Mangroves NAk

Decapoda

Anchistus custos Subtidal (commensal with Pinna bicolor)

NAn

Charybdis truncata Subtidal NAd

Charybdis vadorum Subtidal NAd

Charybdis variegatus Subtidal NAd

Conchodytes monodactylus Subtidal (commensal with Pinna bicolor)

NAn

Hermit crabs Section B (stream mouth) 1q

Ocypode ceratophthalma Section, A, B, C and D NAf

Ocypode cordimana Section, A, B, C and D NAf

Portunus hastatoides Subtidal NAd

Scopimera globosa Section B (stream mouth) NAf

Scopimera intermedia Section B (stream mouth) 2q

Sesarma pictum Section B and C NAf

Tmethypocoelis ceratophora Section B (stream mouth) NAf

Tmethypoecoelis

ceratophora

Section B (stream mouth) 2q

Uca chlorophthalmus Section B, C (mangroves) NAf

Uca crassipes No specified locations indicated NAi

Uca lactea Section B (stream mouth) NAf

Uca lactea No specified locations indicated NAi

Acarina

Water mites Section B (upper stream and stream mouth) 52, 6q

Agauopsis ammodytes High shore level at sandy shores (15-20 cm sediment depth) 8

Agauopsis arenaria High shore level at sandy shores (15-20 cm sediment depth) 15

PORIFERA

Siphonochalina flexa Subtidal NAo

ANNELIDA

Polychaeta

Aonides sp. Section A, B and C 61, 132, 4r

Aricidea sp. Section B 2r

Armandia sp. Section A 1r

Boccardiella sp. Section B 2r

Brania sp. Section A 14r

Capitella sp. Section A and C 1, 5r

Capitellidae sp. Section B 4r

Caulleriella sp. Section C 2r

Ceratonereis sp. A Section A, B and C 40, 3, 15r

Ceratonereis sp. B Section C 1r

Chrysopetalidae Section A and B 1, 1r

Cirratulidae Section B (sandy shores) 2q

Cirratulidae sp. Section A 1r

Cirriformia sp. A Section A and B 35, 11r

Cirriformia sp. B Section A and B 4, 2r

Cirriformia sp. C Section A 1r

Dorvillea sp. Section B 2r

Dorvilleidae sp. Section A 2r

Ehlersia sp. A Section A and B 25, 8r

Ehlersia sp. B Section A and C 20, 7r

Eulalia sp. Section B 7r

Eusyllinae sp. A Section A 30r

Eusyllinae sp. B Section B 1r

Eusyllis sp. Section A, B and C 753, 138, 71r

Galathowenia sp. Section A 3r

Glycera sp. Section B 1r

Glycinde sp. Section A, B and C 1, 2, 1r

Goniadides sp. Section B and C 18, 2r

Gonionidae Section B (stream mouth and sandy shores) 1, 9q

Harmothoe sp. Section A and B 2, 3r

Hesionidae Section B (stream mouth and sandy shores) 3, 13q

Linopherus sp. Section A, B and C 33, 53, 1r

Malacoceros sp. Section C 2r

Micronephthys sp. Section A, B and C 13, 20, 35r

Micropodarke sp. Section A, B and C 122, 31, 3r

Nephtyidae Section B (sandy shores) 1q

Nephtys sp. Section A, B and C 1, 7, 6r

Nereidae Section B (upper stream, stream mouth and sandy shores) 134, 5, 2q

Nereiphylla sp. Section B 1r

Ougia sp. Section A 4r

Paralacydonia sp. Section A and B 1, 1r

Paramphinome sp. Section B 1r

Perinereis sp. Section A 1r

Pettiboneia sp. Section A 8r

Pholoe sp. Section B 1r

Pionosyllis sp. B Section B 5r

Pisione sp. Section B 2r

Podarke sp. A Section A and B 2, 1r

Podarke sp. B Section B 1r

Podarkeopsis sp. Section A and B 2, 1r

Poecilochaetus sp. Section A 1r

Polydora sp. Section B 1r

Polygordius sp. Section B 3r

Prionospio sp. A Section A and B 1, 1r

Prionospio sp. B Section A, B and C 2, 1, 2r

Prionospio sp. C Section A and B 2, 2r

Protodorvillea sp. Section B 3r

Pseudopolydora sp. A Section A, B and C 1, 4, 5r

Pseudopolydora sp. B Section A and B 1, 5r

Saccocirrus sp. Section C 1r

Scolelepis sp. A Section B 3r

Scolelepis sp. B Section A, B and C 5, 1, 2r

Sigambra sp. Section A and B 2, 2r

Sphaerosyllis sp. Section A, B and C 2, 6, 1r

Spionidae Section B (stream mouth and sandy shores) 5, 25q

Syllidae Section B (stream mouth and sandy shores) 1, 92q

Syllides sp. Section A 5r

Tharyx sp. Section A 8r

Typosyllis sp. A Section B and C 24, 3r

Typosyllis sp. B Section A and B 13, 5r

Oligochaeta

Ainudrilus lutulentus Section B NAh

Aktedrilus cuneus Section C 6r

Aktedrilus longitubularis Section B and C 3, 16r

Aktedrilus mortoni Section A, B and C 2, 7, 68r

Aquatic oligochaetes Section B (upper stream, stream mouth and sandy shores) 41, 28, 38q

Bathydrilus edwardsi East side of the bay NAh

Bathydrilus keenai Subtidal NAh

Heronidrilus bihamis Section A, B and C 2, 24, 45r

Heterodrilus bihamis Subtidal NAh

Limnodrilus rubicundus Section C 1r

Limnodrilus tenuiductus Section C 7r

Limnodrilus toloensis Section C 4r

Marionina coatesae Section B 1r

Marionina coatesae Section A, B and E NAh

Marionina levitheca Section B and C 2, 14r

Marionina levitheca Section A NAh

Marionina nevisensis Section C 45r

Marionina nevisensis Secion A NAh

Paranais litoralis Section E NAh

Paranais plenus Section A and B NAh

Paranais sp. Section A 2r

Pectinodrilus disparatus Section A and C 7, 126r

Pectinodrilus hoihaensis Section C 42r

Pectinodrilus molestus Section B and C 2, 2r

Phallodrilus vanus Subtidal NAh

Phallodrilus vanus East side of the bay NAh

S. sterreri Section A and C 1, 1r

Smithsonidrilus irregularis Section B 1r

Smithsonidrilus tenuiculus Section A NAh

Smithsonidrilus tuber Section C 14r

Stephensonella marina Section C 3r

Tubificidae sp. Section A 1r

Uniporodrillus furcatus Section A, B and C 2, 5. 6r

NEMERTEA

Callinera sp. Section B and C 1, 1r

Cephalotrix sp. Section B 1r

Euosia verticivarius Section A, B and C 4, 1, 1r

Heteronemertea sp. A Section B 2r

Heteronemertea sp. A Section B 1r

Hoplonemertea sp. Section A 1r

Palaeonemertea sp. A Section A and B 7, 2r

Palaeonemertea sp. B Section B 1r

Procephalotrix arenarius Section A, B and C 33, 41, 36r

NEMATODA

Aquatic nematodes Section B (upper stream, stream mouth and sandy shores) 1, 29, 6q

PLATYHELMINTHES

Turbellaria

Flatworm Section B (upper stream, stream mouth and sandy shores) 4, 14, 162q

ECHINODERMATA

Anthocidaris crassispina Subtidal, rocky substratum on the west side of the bay NAe

Diadema setosum 2 m underwater NAg

Parasalenia gratiosa Subtidal NAt

Salmacis sphaeroides Subtidal NAt

Temnopleurus reevesi Subtidal Nat

Ophiuroidea

Ophioplocus imbricatus 1-2 m underwater NAg

Holothurioidea

Holothuria leucospilota 1 m underwater Nag

MANGROVE PLANTS Per m²

Acanthus Section A1 and B 8, 75c

Aegiceras corniculatum Sections A1, A2 and B 272, 263, 298c

Avicennia marina Section A1 1c

Excoecaria agallocha Sections A1, A2 and B 14, 7, 5c

Kandelia candel Sections A1, A2 and B 116, 7, 2c

ALGAE

Brachytrichia maculans Rocky shores (east and west sides) NAm

Colpomenia sinuosa Rocky shores (east side) NAm

Corallina Rocky shores (east side) NAm

Gelidium divaricatum Rocky shores (east and west sides) NAm

Gomontia Rocky shores (east side) NA1

Hildenbrandtia prototypes Rocky shores (east and west sides) NAm

Monostroma nitidum Rocky shores (east side) NAm

Sargassum hemiphyllum Rocky shores (east side) NAm

Ulva Rocky shores (east and west sides) Nam

Remarks: species names are cited ad verbatim to avoid confusion

a Bartsch 1992; b Chan & Morton 2001; c Chan 1992; d Cheung 1986; e Chiu 1988; f Choi 1992;

g Clark 1982; h Erseus 1984; i Jones & Morton 1994; j Knudsen 1992; k Li 2003; l Lin 1992; m Liu

1992; n Morton 1987; o Pulitzer-Finale 1982, p Rudman & Darvell 1990; q Shea 1992;

r Sundberg et al. 1992; s Taylor & Jensen 1992; t Thompson 1982

Reference

¹Leung KMY, Lui KKY, Wai TC, Cheung YT, Chan BKK, Yau C (2006). Study on the Soft Shore in Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park. Final Report to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD/SQ/2/05), the Government of the HKSAR, P.R. China.