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Tarifa Island is located in the Strait of Gibraltar, between the Mediterranean and Atlantic. The unique biogeographical position, together with the substrate heterogeneity and the protection degree resulting from its condition of mari - ne reserve, has contributed to maintain very diverse intertidal ecosystems at their rocky shores. Under absence of anthropogenic influence, we have studied the fluctuations of macroalgae and associated caprellids during two years (December 2005 to December 2007). Samples were taken every two months from the different intertidal levels. Caprella penantis , C. liparotensis and C. equilibra were exclusively distributed in the low intertidal levels dominated by Gelidium corneum ; Caprella grandimana and C. acanthifera were found in the intermediate levels of Corallina elongata , Jania rubens and Gelidium spp. and the caprellids were absent in the upper intertidal levels dominated by Fu - cus spiralis . The caprellid species and the main seaweeds were present during the whole year. The peaks of seaweed biomass were observed from April to June, and were coincident with the peaks in caprellid abundances. The highest caprellid fluctuations were registered in the low levels: although G. corneum maintained high biomass during the whole year, the associated C. penantis had very low densities in winter (