EUNIS habitat classification 2012 amended 2019 > A - Marine habitats > A5 - Sublittoral sediment > A5.3 - Sublittoral mud

Sublittoral mud

English name: Sublittoral mud

Description (English)

Sublittoral mud and cohesive sandy mud extending from the extreme lower shore to offshore, circalittoral habitats. This biotope is predominantly found in sheltered harbours, sealochs, bays, marine inlets and estuaries and stable deeper/offshore areas where the reduced influence of wave action and/or tidal streams allow fine sediments to settle. Such habitats are often by dominated by polychaetes and echinoderms, in particular brittlestars such as Amphiura spp. Seapens such as Virgularia mirabilis and burrowing megafauna including Nephrops norvegicus are common in deeper muds. Estuarine muds tend to be characterised by infaunal polychaetes and oligochaetes.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification

Quick facts

EUNIS habitat type	code A5.3
Bern Convention	Included in a Resolution 4 habitat type at a higher level (A5)
Relation to	Annex I habitat types (EU Habitats Directive)

Legal status

Relation to other habitat types mentioned in legal instruments

Legal text	Annex	Name in legal text	Code in legal text	Habitat type relationship	More information
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Estuaries	1130	Overlap	http://ec.europa.eu/environm...rective/index_en.htm
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Coastal lagoons	1150	Overlap
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Large shallow inlets and bays	1160	Overlap
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Boreal Baltic narrow inlets	1650	Wider

Vegetation types

Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)

Not available

Species mentioned in habitat description

Invertebrates Nephrops norvegicus

Invertebrates Virgularia mirabilis

Species scientific name	English common name	Species group
Nephrops norvegicus		Invertebrates
Virgularia mirabilis		Invertebrates

Other classifications

Classification	Code	Habitat type name	Relationship type
CORINE Land Cover	5.2.3.	Sea and ocean	n/a
Marine Habitat Classification Britain/Ireland 0405	SS.SMu	Sublittoral cohesive mud and sandy mud communities	same
Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Habitats (UK)	39	Mud habitats in deep water	wider

For relation to plant communities (syntaxa), see Vegetation types

History

Classification	Code	Habitat type name	Relationship type
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A5.3	Sublittoral mud	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.3	Sublittoral mud	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.74	Animal communities of deep circalittoral muddy bottoms	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.3	Sublittoral muds	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.74	Animal communities of deep circalittoral muddy bottoms	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.3	Sublittoral muds	same

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