Description of biotope or habitat type
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Pale encrusting sponges and serpulids on Atlantic mid bathyal coarse sediment
Physical habitat description
Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt) |
---|---|
Wave exposure | |
Tidal streams | |
Substratum | Coarse sediment |
Zone | Atlantic mid bathyal |
Depth Band | Biotope depth range 600 - 1300 m (based on zone); assemblage recorded from 181 - 1882 m; median 865 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.

- 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 biotope consists of gravel substrates with few visible epifauna only encrusting forms. The same assemblage was recorded in the Atlantic upper bathyal and Atlanto-Arctic mid bathyal zones, but associated infaunal species are likely to differ. Characterising species listed refer to all pale encrusting sponge and serpulid assemblages not just those found associated with the zone and substrate specified in this biotope.
Situation
No situation data available.
Temporal variation
No temporal variation data available.
Characterising species
Taxon | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
---|---|
Porifera encrusting (white) | |
Serpulidae |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
M.AtUB.Co.SpaEnc.SpoSer
The same epifaunal assemblage in the upper bathyal. Associated infauna are likely to differ.