Description of biotope or habitat type
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Cerastoderma edule with Abra nitida in infralittoral mud
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Very sheltered |
| Tidal streams | Weak (>1 kn) |
| Substratum | Mud and gravelly mud |
| Zone | Infralittoral |
| Depth Band | 0-5 m, 5-10 m |
| Other Features |
Biotope origin
| Derived using data from | Day Grab |
| 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
Sheltered shallow sublittoral muds and gravelly muds in marine embayments, inlets or harbours may contain populations of the edible cockle Cerastoderma edule with Abra nitida. Other taxa may include the gastropod Peringia ulvae, cirraltulid polychaetes such as Caulleriella spp. and other polychaetes including Hediste diversicolor and Aphelochaeta marioni. Available data for this biotope are limited to parts of Southampton Water, Chichester Harbour, and in the Wash. The species list given here may therefore be far from complete. It is not known at this stage whether this biotope is a sublittoral extension of intertidal cockle beds (e.g. LS.LSa.MuSa.CerPo) or whether it exists independently of intertidal populations of C. edule.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cerastoderma edule | 33 | Common | 31 | 81-100% |
| Abra nitida | 22 | Common | 38 | 61-80% |
| Peringia ulvae | 20 | Frequent | 29 | 61-80% |
| Chaetozone caputesocis | 15 | Frequent | 20 | 61-80% |
| Aphelochaeta marioni | 4 | 4 | 41-60% | |
| Oxydromus flexuosus | 4 | 3 | 41-60% | |
| Hediste diversicolor | 2 | Frequent | 49 | 21-40% |
| Polydora ciliata | 1 | 2 | 21-40% |
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.SMu.IFiMu.CerAnit | Cerastoderma edule with Abra nitida in infralittoral mud |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SMu.IFiMu.CerAnit | Cerastoderma edule with Abra nitida in infralittoral mud |