Skip to Content

Marine Habitat Classification


Description of biotope or habitat type

To understand more about what this page is describing, see How to use the classification. See also How to cite.

   Abra alba and Nucula nitidosa in circalittoral muddy sand or slightly mixed sediment


Physical habitat description

Salinity Full (30-35 ppt)
Wave exposure Exposed, Moderately exposed
Tidal streams Moderately strong (1-3 kn), Weak (>1 kn)
Substratum Fine muddy sands occasionally with small gravel content
Zone Circalittoral
Depth Band 10-20 m, 20-30 m, 30-50 m
Other Features

Biotope origin

Derived using data from Various
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.

Distribution of habitat SS.SSa.CMuSa.AalbNuc <I>Abra alba</I> and <I>Nucula nitidosa</I> in circalittoral muddy sand or slightly mixed sediment

  • 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

Non-cohesive muddy sands or slightly shelly/gravelly muddy sand characterised by the bivalves Abra alba and Nucula nitidosa. Other important taxa include Nephtys spp., Chaetozone setosa and Spiophanes bombyx with Fabulina fabula also common in many areas. The echinoderms Ophiura albida and Asterias rubens may also be present. The epibiotic biotope SS.SSa.IMuSa.EcorEns may overlap this biotope. This biotope is part of the Abra community defined by Thorson (1957) and the infralittoral etage described by Glemarec (1973). In organically enriched variants of this biotope, there may be higher occurrences of amphipods, such as Bathyporeia tenuipes, Perioculodes longimanus, and Urothoe elegans.

Situation

No situation data available.

Temporal variation

Numbers of adult Abra alba can exceed 1000 m2.

Characterising species

Taxon Relative importance of taxon for defining this community (%) % of core records where taxon was recorded Relative frequency %
Abra alba 12 1-20% 17.8
Hilbigneris gracilis 5 1-20% 2.2
Nemertea 5 1-20% 2.1
Aricidea 4 1-20% 2.2
Nucula nitidosa 4 1-20% 1.8
Actiniaria 4 1-20% 5.2
Poecilochaetus serpens 3 1-20% 1.1
Varicorbula gibba 3 1-20% 9.5
Spiophanes bombyx 3 1-20% 0.8
Spio decorata 2 1-20% 0.9
Nephtys hombergii 2 1-20% 0.7
Phaxas pellucidus 2 1-20% 1.6
Chaetozone setosa 2 1-20% 1.8
Glycera tridactyla 2 1-20% 0.9
Magelona filiformis 2 1-20% 1.5
Bathyporeia tenuipes 2 1-20% 1.7
Magelona minuta 2 1-20% 1.1
Nephtys 2 1-20% 0.4
Owenia fusiformis 1 1-20% 0.3
Ampelisca spinipes 1 1-20% 2.2
Lanice conchilega 1 1-20% 0.4
Sthenelais 1 1-20% 0.4
Scalibregma inflatum 1 1-20% 1.8
Echinocyamus pusillus 1 1-20% 0.6
Liocarcinus 1 1-20% 0.3
Phoronis 1 1-20% 0.3
Magelona alleni 1 1-20% 0.3
Chaetozone 1 1-20% 1
Chamelea gallina 1 1-20% 0.3
Perioculodes longimanus 1 1-20% 0.5
Urothoe elegans 1 1-20% 0.9
Pontocrates altamarinus 1 1-20% 0.3
Pagurus 1 1-20% 0.2
Eudorella truncatula 1 1-20% 0.7
Parexogone hebes 1 1-20% 0.4
Amphipholis squamata 1 1-20% 1.2
Lagis koreni 1 1-20% 0.7
Ampharete lindstroemi 1 1-20% 0.4
Harpinia antennaria 1 1-20% 0.7
Bathyporeia elegans 1 1-20% 1.5
Exogone 1 1-20% 0.3
Eumida bahusiensis 1 1-20% 0.2
Pseudopolydora pulchra 1 1-20% 0.3
Megaluropus agilis 1 1-20% 0.3

Similar biotopes or habitat types

SS.SMu.CSaMu.AfilKurAnit
In muddier sediments SS.SSa.CMuSa.AalbNuc may grade into SS.SMu.CSaMu.AfilKurAnit.

SS.SMu.CFiMu.BlyrAchi
At greater depths and in muddier sediments SS.SSa.CMuSa.AalbNuc may grade into SS.SMu.CFiMu.BlyrAchi.

SS.SMu.CSaMu.LkorPpel
In muddier sediments SS.SSa.CMuSa.AalbNuc may grade into SS.SMu.CSaMu.LkorPpel.

SS.SSa.IMuSa.FfabMag
The two biotopes may be separated by the relative dominance of Abra alba and Nucula spp. in SS.SSa.CMuSa.AalbNuc and the increased proportion of amphipods such as Bathyporeia spp.

Classification history of this biotope or habitat type

Classification version Code Habitat name
2015 (15.03) SS.SSa.CMuSa.AalbNuc Abra alba and Nucula nitidosa in circalittoral muddy sand or slightly mixed sediment
2004 (04.05) SS.SSa.CMuSa.AalbNuc Abra alba and Nucula nitidosa in circalittoral muddy sand or slightly mixed sediment
1997 (97.06) SS.CMS.AbrNucCor Abra alba, Nucula nitida and Corbula gibba in circalittoral muddy sand or slightly mixed sediment

Back to top