Description of biotope or habitat type
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Circalittoral coarse sediment
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Exposed, Moderately exposed |
| Tidal streams | Moderately strong (1-3 kn), Weak (>1 kn), Very weak (negligible) |
| Substratum | Coarse sand and gravel with a minor finer sand fraction |
| Zone | Infralittoral - lower, Circalittoral |
| Depth Band | 10-20 m, 20-30 m, 30-50 m |
| Other Features |
Biotope origin
| Derived using data from | Various |
| Faunal group | Epifauna/infauna |
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.
- 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
Tide-swept circalittoral coarse sands, gravel and shingle generally in depths of over 15-20 m. This habitat may be found in tidal channels of marine inlets, along exposed coasts and offshore. This habitat, as with shallower coarse sediments, may be characterised by robust infaunal polychaetes, mobile crustacea and bivalves. Certain species of sea cucumber (e.g. Neopentadactyla) may also be prevalent in these areas along with the lancelet Branchiostoma lanceolatum.
Situation
No situation data available.
Temporal variation
No temporal data available.
Characterising species
| Taxon | Relative importance of taxon for defining this community (%) | Typical abundance - SACFOR scale | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neopentadactyla mixta | 29 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Protodorvillea kefersteini | 12 | 61-80% | |
| Nemertea | 11 | Common | 61-80% |
| Asterias rubens | 10 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Spirobranchus triqueter | 10 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Glycera lapidum | 9 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Lanice conchilega | 6 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Ampelisca spinipes | 5 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Chaetozone zetlandica | 5 | 21-40% | |
| Ophiura albida | 5 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Mediomastus fragilis | 4 | 41-60% | |
| Prionospio cirrifera | 4 | 21-40% | |
| Pagurus bernhardus | 4 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Pecten maximus | 4 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Nematoda | 3 | 21-40% | |
| Echinocyamus pusillus | 3 | Common | 21-40% |
| Pholoe inornata | 3 | 21-40% | |
| Echinus esculentus | 3 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Cerianthus lloydii | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Chaetopterus variopedatus | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Hilbigneris gracilis | 2 | Common | 21-40% |
| Nemertesia antennina | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Eunereis longissima | 2 | 21-40% | |
| Sabellaria spinulosa | 2 | 21-40% | |
| Scoloplos armiger | 2 | 21-40% | |
| Spiophanes bombyx | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Abra alba | 1 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Hesionura elongata | 1 | 21-40% | |
| Lanice conchilega | 1 | 21-40% | |
| Notomastus latericeus | 1 | 21-40% | |
| Owenia fusiformis | 1 | 21-40% | |
| Seraphsidae | 1 | 21-40% |
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.SCS.CCS | Circalittoral coarse sediment |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SCS.CCS | Circalittoral coarse sediment |
| 1997 (97.06) | Part of SS.CGS | Circalittoral gravels and sands |