Description of biotope or habitat type
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Semi-permanent tube-building amphipods and polychaetes in sublittoral sand
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Moderately exposed, Sheltered |
| Tidal streams | Weak (>1 kn), Very weak (negligible) |
| Substratum | Medium to very fine muddy sand |
| Zone | Infralittoral |
| Depth Band | 0-5 m, 5-10 m, 10-20 m |
| Other Features | Sand scour |
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.
- 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
Sublittoral marine sand in moderately exposed or sheltered inlets and voes in shallow water may support large populations of semi-permanent tube-building amphipods and polychaetes. Typically dominated by Crassicorophium crassicorne with other tube building amphipods such as Ampelisca spp. also being common. Other taxa include typical shallow sand fauna such as Spiophanes bombyx, Urothoe elegans, Bathyporeia spp. along with various polychaetes including Parexogone hebes, and Lanice conchilega. Polydora ciliata may also be abundant in some areas. At the sediment surface, Arenicola marina worm casts may be visible and occasional seaweeds such as Saccharina latissima may be present. As many of the sites featuring this biotope are situated near fish farms, it is possible that it may have developed as the result of moderate nutrient enrichment, which may lead the biotope to transition into an organically enriched variant, related to SS.SMx.CMx.KurThyMx. The distribution of this biotope is poorly known and like the muddier SS.SMu.ISaMu.AmpPlon, to which it is related, appears to have a patchy distribution.
Situation
No situation data available.
Temporal variation
It is possible that this biotope is a temporal or spatial variant of other more stable biotopes resulting from localised changes to sediment stability and organic status.
Characterising species
| Taxon | Relative importance of taxon for defining this community (%) | Typical abundance - SACFOR scale | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crassicorophium crassicorne | 48 | Common | 81-100% |
| Arenicola marina | 19 | Occasional | 81-100% |
| Polychaeta | 15 | Common | 41-60% |
| Saccharina latissima | 12 | Occasional | 61-80% |
| Chorda filum | 9 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Lanice conchilega | 6 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Pagurus bernhardus | 6 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Spiophanes bombyx | 5 | 81-100% | |
| Pleuronectidae | 4 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Desmarestia viridis | 4 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Parexogone hebes | 4 | Common | 41-60% |
| Cochlodesma praetenue | 3 | 61-80% | |
| Ensis | 3 | 21-40% | |
| Liocarcinus depurator | 3 | Rare | 41-60% |
| Polydora ciliata | 3 | Abundant | 21-40% |
| Spio filicornis | 3 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Urothoe elegans | 3 | 61-80% | |
| Urothoe marina | 3 | Common | 41-60% |
| Ampelisca brevicornis | 2 | Common | 41-60% |
| Bathyporeia guilliamsoniana | 2 | Common | 21-40% |
| Capitella minima | 2 | 41-60% | |
| Ensis magnus | 2 | Common | 21-40% |
| Eudesme virescens | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Nemertea | 2 | Common | 61-80% |
| Phoxocephalus holbolli | 2 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Pygospio elegans | 2 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Phyllodoce mucosa | 1 | 41-60% | |
| Asterias rubens | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Bathyporeia elegans | 1 | Common | 21-40% |
| Desmarestia aculeata | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Echinocardium cordatum | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Nitophyllum punctatum | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Polysiphonia | 1 | Rare | 21-40% |
| Carradoriella elongata | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Scoloplos armiger | 1 | 41-60% | |
| Ulva | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
SS.SMu.ISaMu.AmpPlon
SS.SMu.ISaMu.AmpPlon occurs on muddier sediment than SS.SSa.IFiSa.TbAmPo and can be distinguished by the importance of Photis longicaudata in the muddier biotope.Classification history of this biotope or habitat type
| Classification version | Code | Habitat name |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 (15.03) | SS.SSa.IFiSa.TbAmPo | Semi-permanent tube-building amphipods and polychaetes in sublittoral sand |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SSa.IFiSa.TbAmPo | Semi-permanent tube-building amphipods and polychaetes in sublittoral sand |
| 1997 (97.06) | Part of SS.IMU.MarMu.TubeAP | Semi-permanent tube-building amphipods and polychaetes in sublittoral mud or muddy sand |