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Marine Habitat Classification


Description of biotope or habitat type

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   Paramphinome jeffreysii, Thyasira spp. and Amphiura filiformis in offshore circalittoral sandy mud


Physical habitat description

Salinity Full (30-35 ppt)
Wave exposure
Tidal streams
Substratum Sandy mud.
Zone Circalittoral
Depth Band
Other Features

Download comparative physical and biological data. The comparative tables enable a rapid comparison of the species composition and principal physical characteristics between a given set of biotopes.

Distribution of habitat SS.SMu.OMu.PjefThyAfil <I>Paramphinome jeffreysii</I>, <I>Thyasira</I> spp. and <I>Amphiura filiformis</I> in offshore circalittoral sandy mud

  • Records used to define the biotope (core records)
  • Other records assigned to this biotope, marked as 'certain'
  • Other records assigned to this biotope, marked as 'uncertain'
  • Predicted extent of the level 3 (for sublittoral rock & deep sea) or 4 (for sublittoral sediment) habitat

Point data based on records in the UK Marine Recorder Snapshot. Predicted habitat extent is from UKSeaMap.

Description

Deep, offshore cohesive sandy mud communities characterised by the polychaete Paramphinome jeffreysii, bivalves such as Parathyasira equalis and Thyasira gouldi (sometimes in elevated densities) and the brittlestar Amphiura filiformis. Other taxa may include Laonice cirrata, the holothurian Labidoplax buskii and the polychaetes Goniada maculata, Spiophanes kroyeri and Aricidea (Acmira) catherinae. Amphiura chiajei may be occasional in this biotope as may Hermania scabra, Levinsenia gracilis, and Pholoe inornata. In areas of the North Sea, such as the Swallow Sand MCZ, this biotope has been observed in sediments with a coarse material component. This biotope along with SS.SMu.CSaMu.ThyEten, SS.SMuCSaMu.AfilKurAnit, SS.SMu.CSaMu.AfilEten and SS.SSa.OSa.OfusAfil, may comprise the Amphiura dominated components of the 'off-shore muddy sand association' (Jones 1951; Mackie 1990) and the infralittoral etage described by Glemarec (1973) and may exist in a transitional environment with SS.SSa.OSa.OfusAfil.

Situation

No situation data available.

Temporal variation

No temporal data available.

Characterising species

Characterising species data not applicable.

Similar biotopes or habitat types

Not applicable or unknown.

Classification history of this biotope or habitat type

Classification version Code Habitat name
2015 (15.03) SS.SMu.OMu.PjefThyAfil Paramphinome jeffreysiiThyasira spp. and Amphiura filiformis in offshore circalittoral sandy mud
2004 (04.05) SS.SMu.OMu.PjefThyAfil Paramphinome jeffreysiiThyasira spp. and Amphiura filiformis in offshore circalittoral sandy mud

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