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Marine Habitat Classification


Description of biotope or habitat type

To understand more about what this page is describing, see How to use the classification. See also How to cite.

   Surface dwelling ophiuroid community on Atlantic upper bathyal sand


Physical habitat description

Salinity Full (30-35 ppt)
Wave exposure
Tidal streams
Substratum Sand
Zone Atlantic upper bathyal
Depth Band 200 - 600 m
Other Features

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.

Distribution of habitat M.AtUB.Sa.SurOph Surface dwelling ophiuroid community on Atlantic upper bathyal sand

  • 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

This broad community consisting of assemblages characterised by brittle stars (ophiuroids) which lie on the surface of the seabed. They can occur in isolation or be overlain onto other broad communities such as 'sparse encrusting fauna' and 'mixed cold water coral'. It may be necessary to assign this broad community and 'child' biotopes in conjunction with another type. Species may differ with depth and sediment type but it was not possible to identify to species level using video data available.

Situation

No situation data available.

Temporal variation

No temporal variation data available.

Characterising species

Characterising species data not applicable.

Similar biotopes or habitat types

M.AtLB.Mx.SurOph
The same epifaunal broad community occuring in the upper bathyal on mixed sediment. The brittle star species may differ and so will associated infauna.

M.AtMB.Sa.SurOph
The same epifaunal broad community occuring in the mid bathyal on sand. The brittle star species may differ and so will associated infauna.


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