Description of biotope or habitat type
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Glycera lapidum, Thyasira spp. and Amythasides macroglossus in offshore gravelly sand
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | |
| Tidal streams | |
| Substratum | Coarse sands and gravel, stone or shell, and occasionally silt. |
| Zone | Circalittoral |
| Depth Band | |
| Other Features |
Biotope origin
| Derived using data from | Grab |
| Faunal group | 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
Offshore (deep) circalittoral habitats with coarse sands and gravel, stone or shell and occasionally a little silt (<5%) may be characterised by the polychaetes Glycera lapidum and Amythasides macroglossus with the bivalve Thyasira spp. (particularly Thyasira succisa). Other taxa include polychaetes such as Exogone verugera, Notomastus latericeus, Spiophanes kroyeri, Aphelochaeta marioni (Tharyx marioni) and Hilbigneris gracilis and occasional numbers of the bivalve Timoclea ovata. This biotope bears some resemblance to the shallow SS.SCS.ICS.Glap and to the circalittoral and offshore venerid biotopes (SS.SCS.CCS.MedLumVen and SS.SMx.OMx.PoVen) but differs by the range of polychaete and bivalve fauna present. This biotope is notable for the presence of the rarely recorded ampharetid polychaete Amythasides macroglossus and also for the small ear file clam Limatula subauriculata which is common in some examples of this biotope.
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.SCS.OCS.GlapThyAmy | Glycera lapidum, Thyasira spp. and Amythasides macroglossus in offshore gravelly sand |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SCS.OCS.GlapThyAmy | Glycera lapidum, Thyasira spp. and Amythasides macroglossus in offshore gravelly sand |