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Marine Habitat Classification


Description of biotope or habitat type

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   Squat lobster assemblage on Atlantic upper bathyal coarse sediment (Lophelia rubble)


Physical habitat description

Salinity Full (30-35 ppt)
Wave exposure
Tidal streams
Substratum Coarse sediment - coral gravel
Zone Atlantic upper bathyal
Depth Band Biotope depth range 200 - 600 m (based on zone); assemblage recorded from 225 - 1129 m; median 298 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.Co.SpaEnc.SquRub Squat lobster assemblage on Atlantic upper bathyal coarse sediment (<i>Lophelia</i> rubble)

  • 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 describes the fringing rubble apron of cold water coral mounds or accumulations of gravel size Lophelia pertusa skeleton. Freiwald et al. (2004) list those species occurring within this zone on cold water coral reefs. The same assemblage was recorded in the Atlantic mid bathyal but associated species are likely to vary with depth. Characterising species listed refer to all squat lobster on Lophelia rubble 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
Munida
Bonellia viridis
Porifera massive lobose
Cerianthidae
Porifera encrusting (blue)
Ophiuroidea
Porifera encrusting (pale - yellow, white, grey, cream, pink
Lophelia pertusa
Madrepora oculata
Actiniaria
Phallonemertes
Cidaris
Serpulidae
Brachiopoda

Similar biotopes or habitat types

M.AtMB.Co.SpaEnc.SquRub
The same epifaunal assemblage in the mid bathyal. Associated infauna are likely to differ.

Photos

M.AtUB.Co.SpaEnc.SquRub Squat lobster assemblage on Atlantic upper bathyal coarse sediment (Lophelia rubble), Rockall Bank. ANON© MSS/JNCC/University of Plymouth
M.AtUB.Co.SpaEnc.SquRub Squat lobster assemblage on Atlantic upper bathyal coarse sediment (Lophelia rubble), Rockall Bank. ANON© MSS/JNCC/University of Plymouth

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