Description of biotope or habitat type
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Circalittoral sandy mud
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Exposed, Moderately exposed, Sheltered, Very sheltered |
| Tidal streams | Moderately strong (1-3 kn), Weak (>1 kn), Very weak (negligible) |
| Substratum | Mud with a significant fine to very fine sand fraction |
| Zone | Circalittoral |
| Depth Band | 5-10 m, 10-20 m, 20-30 m, 30-50 m, 50-100 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
Circalittoral, cohesive sandy mud, typically with over 20% silt/clay, generally in water depths of over 10 m, with weak or very weak tidal streams. This habitat is generally found in deeper areas of bays and marine inlets or offshore from less wave exposed coasts. Seapens such as Virgularia mirabilis and brittlestars such as Amphiura spp. are particularly characteristic of this habitat whilst infaunal species include the tube building polychaetes Lagis koreni and Owenia fusiformis, and deposit feeding bivalves such as Kurtiella bidentata and Abra spp.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kurtiella bidentata | 19 | Common | 61-80% |
| Amphiura filiformis | 18 | Super abundant | 61-80% |
| Virgularia mirabilis | 12 | Occasional | 61-80% |
| Cerianthus lloydii | 9 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Asterias rubens | 8 | Occasional | 61-80% |
| Pagurus bernhardus | 8 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Pecten maximus | 7 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Abra nitida | 6 | Abundant | 41-60% |
| Ophiura albida | 6 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Phoronis | 5 | Common | 41-60% |
| Liocarcinus depurator | 4 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Nemertea | 4 | Common | 41-60% |
| Ophiura ophiura | 4 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Lagis koreni | 3 | Common | 41-60% |
| Lanice conchilega | 3 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Nephtys incisa | 3 | 41-60% | |
| Ophiuroidea | 2 | Abundant | 21-40% |
| Amphiura filiformis | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Cirratulidae | 2 | Abundant | 21-40% |
| Diplocirrus glaucus | 2 | 41-60% | |
| Melinna palmata | 2 | 21-40% | |
| Owenia fusiformis | 2 | Common | 41-60% |
| Pagurus prideaux | 2 | Rare | 21-40% |
| Pariambus typicus | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Pholoe inornata | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Thysanocardia procera | 2 | Common | 21-40% |
| Turritellinella tricarinata | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Echinus esculentus | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Abra alba | 1 | Common | 21-40% |
| Aporrhais pespelecani | 1 | Rare | 21-40% |
| Chaetopterus variopedatus | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Kirchenpaueria pinnata | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Hilbigneris gracilis | 1 | Common | 21-40% |
| Nemertesia ramosa | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Ennucula tenuis | 1 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Phaxas pellucidus | 1 | Common | 21-40% |
| Spirobranchus triqueter | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Scalibregma inflatum | 1 | Common | 21-40% |
| Seraphsidae | 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.SMu.CSaMu | Circalittoral sandy mud |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SMu.CSaMu | Circalittoral sandy mud |
| 1997 (97.06) | Part of SS.CMS | Circalittoral muddy sands |