Description of biotope or habitat type
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Venerupis corrugata, Amphipholis squamata and Apseudes latreilli in infralittoral mixed sediment
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt), Variable (18-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Sheltered, Very sheltered, Extremely sheltered |
| Tidal streams | Moderately strong (1-3 kn), Weak (>1 kn) |
| Substratum | Muddy sandy gravel and pebbles |
| Zone | Infralittoral |
| Depth Band | 0-5 m, 5-10 m, 10-20 m, 20-30 m |
| Other Features |
Biotope origin
| Derived using data from | Various |
| Faunal group | Epifauna/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
Sheltered muddy sandy gravel and pebbles in marine inlets, estuaries or embayments with variable salinity or fully marine conditions, support large populations of the pullet carpet shell Venerupis corrugata with the brittlestar Amphipholis squamata and the tanaid Apseudes latreilli. This biotope may be found at a range of depths from 5 m to 30 m although populations of V. senegalensis may also be found on the low shore. Other common species within this biotope include the gastropod Calyptraea chinensis, a range of amphipod crustacea such as Monocorophium sextonae and Maera grossimana, polychaetes such as Mediomastus fragilis, Melinna palmata, Aphelochaeta marioni, Syllids, and tubificid oligochaetes. Many of the available records for this biotope are from southern inlets and estuaries such as Plymouth Sound and Milford Haven but V. senegalensis has a much wider distribution and it should be noted that northern versions of this biotope may a have a much lower species diversity than reported here.
Situation
No situation data available.
Temporal variation
No temporal data available.
Characterising species
| Taxon | Relative importance of taxon for defining this community (%) | Typical abundance - SACFOR scale | Typical abundance - (count per m2) | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apseudopsis latreillii | 7 | Common | 2520 | 81-100% |
| Calyptraea chinensis | 5 | Common | 351 | 81-100% |
| Mediomastus fragilis | 5 | Common | 675 | 81-100% |
| Amphipholis squamata | 4 | Super abundant | 377 | 81-100% |
| Aphelochaeta marioni | 4 | Common | 2002 | 61-80% |
| Monocorophium sextonae | 3 | Common | 961 | 61-80% |
| Maera grossimana | 3 | Common | 228 | 61-80% |
| Melinna palmata | 3 | Abundant | 1210 | 61-80% |
| Nemertea | 3 | Common | 288 | 81-100% |
| Syllidia armata | 3 | Common | 731 | 61-80% |
| Chaetozone gibber | 3 | Common | 582 | 41-60% |
| Nematoda | 2 | Frequent | 57 | 61-80% |
| Amphicteis gunneri | 2 | Abundant | 276 | 41-60% |
| Caulleriella alata | 2 | Common | 120 | 41-60% |
| Gammarella fucicola | 2 | Frequent | 578 | 61-80% |
| Spirobranchus lamarcki | 2 | Common | 178 | 41-60% |
| Tellimya ferruginosa | 2 | Frequent | 73 | 61-80% |
| Tubificoides benedii | 2 | Common | 500 | 61-80% |
| Venerupis corrugata | 2 | Abundant | 56 | 81-100% |
| Tubificoides swirencoides | 2 | Common | 385 | 41-60% |
| Abludomelita gladiosa | 1 | Frequent | 153 | 41-60% |
| Phyllodoce mucosa | 1 | Common | 78 | 61-80% |
| Janira maculosa | 1 | Frequent | 260 | 61-80% |
| Metaphoxus simplex | 1 | Common | 102 | 41-60% |
| Notomastus latericeus | 1 | Frequent | 85 | 61-80% |
| Sphaerosyllis hystrix | 1 | Frequent | 39 | 41-60% |
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.SMx.IMx.VsenAsquAps | Venerupis senegalensis, Amphipholis squamata and Apseudes latreilli in infralittoral mixed sediment |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SMx.IMx.VsenAsquAps | Venerupis senegalensis, Amphipholis squamata and Apseudes latreilli in infralittoral mixed sediment |
| 1997 (97.06) | SS.IMX.FaMx.VsenMtru | Venerupis senegalensis and Mya truncata in lower shore or infralittoral muddy gravel |