epifauna

Epifauna refers to benthic organisms that live on the surface of the seafloor or on other organisms, as opposed to living within the substrate. These organisms are part of the benthos, which is the collective term for life on the seafloor. Epifauna can be found on hard surfaces like rocks or the sea floor itself, or on living organisms. This contrasts with infauna, which are benthic organisms that live within the soft sediments of the seafloor. The variety and abundance of benthic life, including epifauna, are influenced by factors such as latitude, depth, temperature, salinity, substrate type, and ecological interactions like predation and competition.123