Description of biotope or habitat type
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Polychaete worm reefs (on sublittoral sediment)
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Exposed, Moderately exposed, Sheltered, Very sheltered |
| Tidal streams | Strong (3-6 kn), Moderately strong (1-3 kn), Weak (>1 kn) |
| Substratum | Muddy gravelly sand with pebbles |
| Zone | Circalittoral |
| Depth Band | 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
Sublittoral reefs of polychaete worms in mixed sediments found in a variety of hydrographic conditions. Such habitats may range from extensive structures of considerable size to loose agglomerations of tubes. Such communities often play an important role in the structural composition or stability of the seabed and provide a wide range of niches for other species to inhabit. Consequently polychaete worm reefs often support a diverse flora and fauna.
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 | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabellaria alveolata | 24 | Super abundant | 41-60% |
| Sabellaria spinulosa | 15 | Abundant | 61-80% |
| Pagurus bernhardus | 9 | Occasional | 61-80% |
| Serpula vermicularis | 9 | Common | 41-60% |
| Mediomastus fragilis | 7 | Common | 41-60% |
| Sabellaria spinulosa | 7 | Common | 41-60% |
| Spirobranchus triqueter | 6 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Psammechinus miliaris | 6 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Asterias rubens | 5 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Flustra foliacea | 5 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Ophiothrix fragilis | 5 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Buccinum undatum | 4 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Nemertea | 3 | Common | 41-60% |
| Dendrodoa grossularia | 3 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Eulalia tripunctata | 3 | Abundant | 21-40% |
| Harmothoe impar | 3 | Common | 41-60% |
| Nematoda | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Abra alba | 2 | Common | 21-40% |
| Alcyonidium diaphanum | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Ascidia mentula | 2 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Ascidiella aspersa | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Balanus crenatus | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Chaetozone zetlandica | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Diplosoma listerianum | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Steromphala cineraria | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Nemertesia antennina | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Eunereis longissima | 2 | 41-60% | |
| Pholoe inornata | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Protodorvillea kefersteini | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Scoloplos armiger | 2 | Abundant | 41-60% |
| Syllis armillaris | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Corallinaceae | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Aequipecten opercularis | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Ampelisca spinipes | 1 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Ciona intestinalis | 1 | Rare | 21-40% |
| Eumida sanguinea | 1 | Abundant | 21-40% |
| Hydrallmania falcata | 1 | Rare | 21-40% |
| Lanice conchilega | 1 | Common | 21-40% |
| Sabella pavonina | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Urticina felina | 1 | Occasional | 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.SBR.PoR | Polychaete worm reefs (on sublittoral sediment) |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SBR.PoR | Polychaete worm reefs (on sublittoral sediment) |