Description of biotope or habitat type
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Limaria hians beds in tide-swept sublittoral muddy mixed sediment
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt), Variable (18-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Sheltered, Very sheltered, Extremely sheltered |
| Tidal streams | Strong (3-6 kn), Moderately strong (1-3 kn), Weak (>1 kn) |
| Substratum | Mixed muddy sandy gravel |
| Zone | Infralittoral - lower, Circalittoral |
| Depth Band | 5-10 m, 10-20 m, 20-30 m |
| Other Features | Consolidated bed formed from byssus-bound debris |
Biotope origin
| Derived using data from | Various |
| Faunal group | Epifauna |
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
Mixed muddy gravel and sand often in tide-swept narrows in the entrances or sills of sea lochs with beds or 'nests' of Limaria hians. The Limaria form woven 'nests' or galleries from byssus and fragments of seaweeds so that the animals themselves cannot be seen from above the seabed. Modiolus modiolus sometimes occur at the same sites lying over the top of the Limaria bed. Other fauna associated with this biotope include echinoderms (Ophiothrix fragilis, Ophiocomina nigra and Asterias rubens), Buccinum undatum, mobile crustaceans (e.g. Pagurus bernhardus), Alcyonium digitatum and hydroids such as Plumularia setacea, Kirchenpaueria pinnata and Nemertesia spp. Sometimes red seaweeds such as Phycodrys rubens occur if the beds are in shallow enough water.
Situation
No situation data available.
Temporal variation
No temporal data available.
Characterising species
| Taxon | Typical abundance - SACFOR scale | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Kirchenpaueria pinnata | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Nemertesia antennina | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Nemertesia ramosa | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Limaria hians | Abundant | 81-100% |
| Ophiothrix fragilis | Common | 81-100% |
| Buccinum undatum | Occasional | 61-80% |
| Alcyonium digitatum | Rare | 61-80% |
| Ophiocomina nigra | Common | 41-60% |
| Asterias rubens | Occasional | 61-80% |
| Pagurus bernhardus | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Modiolus modiolus | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Cancer pagurus | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Hyas araneus | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Pecten maximus | Rare | 41-60% |
| Psammechinus miliaris | 21-40% | |
| Echinus esculentus | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Aequipecten opercularis | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Munida rugosa | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Necora puber | 21-40% | |
| Spirobranchus triqueter | Occasional | 21-40% |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
SS.SCS.CCS.Nmix
SS.SMx.IMx.Lim is found in muddier, more sheltered conditions in similar depths.
SS.SMp.Mrl.Lgla
SS.SMx.IMx.Lim is sometimes found amongst maerl gravels but is deeper than SS.SMp.Mrl.Lgla.Classification history of this biotope or habitat type
| Classification version | Code | Habitat name |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 (15.03) | SS.SMx.IMx.Lim | Limaria hians beds in tide-swept sublittoral muddy mixed sediment |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SMx.IMx.Lim | Limaria hians beds in tide-swept sublittoral muddy mixed sediment |
| 1997 (97.06) | SS.IMX.FaMx.Lim | Limaria hians beds in tide-swept sublittoral muddy mixed sediment |