36 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. VI, January, 1952 
Fig. 1. Locality map of Rangitoto. Co-ordinates represent each 5 minutes of east longitude (top is north) 
and of south latitude. Scoria Flat Inlet shown west of Rangitoto Wharf. Position of Queen’s Wharf indicated by 
X. (N. Z. Defence Dept.) 
mactic nature of rocky-shore communities 
and the serai nature of those of salt marshes. 
In the present paper^ the littoral is defined 
as the region between mean high water mark 
and mean low water mark of spring tides. 
Above this is a lower supralittoral region sub- 
ject to occasional submergence, and below it 
is an upper sublittoral region subject to oc- 
casional exposure. 
In the following account reference is made 
to certain tide levels. These are abbreviated 
as follows: 
E.H.W.S.T. (extreme high water mark of 
spring tides) 
M.H.W.S.T. (mean high water spring tides) 
M.H.W.N.T. (mean high water neap tides) 
M.L.W.N.T. (mean low water neap tides) 
M.L.W.S.T, (mean low water spring tides) 
E.L.W.S.T. (extreme low water spring tides) 
The abundance or frequency of a species in i 
a community is noted as: d (dominant), a 
(abundant), f (frequent), o (occasional), or 
r (rare) . j 
CLIMAX COMMUNITIES OF ROCKY SHORES 
ij 
As the local variant of the basic zonation j. 
suggested by Stephenson (1939)5 Chapman 
( 1950 ) proposes four basic formations for the 
rocky shore climax of New Zealand. These, || 
in order from top to bottom of the littoral, are |i 
the Littorinoid, Barnacle, Lower Littoral |! 
Mixed Algal, and Sublittoral Brown Kelp li 
formations. It appears possible to build the | 
pattern of distribution of species at Rangi- > 
toto into this framework. 
