Description of biotope or habitat type
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Moerella spp. with venerid bivalves in infralittoral gravelly sand
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Exposed, Moderately exposed, Sheltered |
| Tidal streams | Moderately strong (1-3 kn), Weak (>1 kn) |
| Substratum | Medium to coarse sand and gravelly sand |
| Zone | Infralittoral |
| Depth Band | 0-5 m, 5-10 m, 10-20 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.
- 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
Infralittoral medium to coarse sand and gravelly sand which is subject to moderately strong water movement from tidal streams may be characterised by Moerella spp. with the polychaete Glycera lapidum (agg.) and venerid bivalves. Typical species include Asbjornsenia pygmaea or M. donacina with other robust bivalves such as Dosinia lupinus, Timoclea ovata, Goodallia triangularis and Chamelea gallina. Other infauna include nephtyid and spionid polychaetes and amphipod crustacea. Another important component of this biotope in some areas is the bivalve Spisula solida (see Kuehne & Rachnor 1996) which may be common or abundant. In conjunction with SS.SSa.IMuSa.FfabMag this biotope may form part of the 'Shallow Venus Community', the 'Boreal Off-shore Sand Association' and the 'Goniadella-Spisula association' of previous workers (see Petersen 1918; Jones 1951; Thorson 1957; Salzwedel, Rachor & Gerdes 1985). Epifaunal communities may be reduced in this biotope when compared to SS.SSa.IMuSa.FfabMag; both types may have surface sand waves which may be indicative of the presence of venerid bivalves (Warwick & Davies 1977). This hypothesis, however, requires testing. Remote grab sampling is likely to under-estimate venerid bivalves and other deep-burrowing and more dispersed species such as Paphia, Ensis and Spatangus. In southern areas of the UK and the North Sea, in slightly siltier sand and shelly sand, SS.SCS.ICS.MoeVen may give way to the other Spisula biotope SS.SSa.IMuSa.SsubNhom. Together these two biotopes replace the old biotope IGS.FaG.Sell. A variation of the biotope may include the presence of maerl, which may support diverse epifaunal communties and act as a transition between biotopes.
Situation
This biotope is found on the exposed open coast and in estuaries with moderately strong tidal currents.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pomatoschistus minutus | 32 | Frequent | 61-80% |
| Pagurus bernhardus | 16 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Moerella donacina | 11 | Abundant | 41-60% |
| Lanice conchilega | 10 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Gracilaria gracilis | 9 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Pisione remota | 9 | Common | 21-40% |
| Asbjornsenia pygmaea | 8 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Glycera lapidum | 7 | Common | 61-80% |
| Apseudopsis latreillii | 6 | Common | 21-40% |
| Liocarcinus depurator | 6 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Nematoda | 5 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Echinocyamus pusillus | 5 | 41-60% | |
| Nemertea | 5 | Common | 61-80% |
| Spio filicornis | 4 | 41-60% | |
| Ulva | 4 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Nephtys cirrosa | 3 | 41-60% | |
| Carcinus maenas | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Dosinia lupinus | 2 | 21-40% | |
| Timoclea ovata | 2 | Common | 21-40% |
| Anemonia viridis | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Aonides paucibranchiata | 1 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Bathyporeia pelagica | 1 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Callionymus lyra | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Chamelea gallina | 1 | 21-40% | |
| Chondrus crispus | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Goodallia triangularis | 1 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Saccharina latissima | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Polyides rotunda | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Spiophanes bombyx | 1 | 21-40% | |
| Spisula solida | 1 | Common | 21-40% |
| Streptosyllis websteri | 1 | 21-40% |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
SS.SCS.CCS.MedLumVen
Similar biotope found in deeper water than SS.SCS.ICS.MoeVen (generally greater than 15-20 m), with increased importance of Mediomastus fragilis and Lumbrineris spp.
SS.SSa.IMuSa.FfabMag
More stable than SS.SCS.ICS.MoeVen, where reduced exposure and/or tidal currents result in a muddy sandy bottom. The community is dominated by Fabulina fabula and Magelona mirabilis.
SS.SCS.ICS.Glap
In areas where the sediment is subject to continual disturbance by wave action SS.SCS.ICS.MoeVen grades into SS.SCS.ICS.Glap, which is more impoverished and lacks the venerid bivalve communities.
LS.LSa.FiSa.Po.Mten
On exposed lower shore sand SS.SCS.ICS.MoeVen may give way to LS.LSa.FiSa.Po.Mten.Classification history of this biotope or habitat type
| Classification version | Code | Habitat name |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 (15.03) | SS.SCS.ICS.MoeVen | Moerella spp. with venerid bivalves in infralittoral gravelly sand |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SCS.ICS.MoeVen | Moerella spp. with venerid bivalves in infralittoral gravelly sand |
| 1997 (97.06) | Part of SS.ICS.FaG.Sell | Spisula elliptica and venerid bivalves in infralittoral clean sand or shell gravel |