Crepidula fornicata with ascidians and anemones on infralittoral coarse mixed sediment
Description (English)
Medium-coarse sands with gravel, shells, pebbles and cobbles on moderately exposed coasts may support populations of the slipper limpet Crepidula fornicata with ascidians and anemones. C. fornicata is common in this biotope though not as abundant as in the muddier estuarine biotope A5.422 to which this is related. Anemones such as Urticina felina and Alcyonium digitatum and ascidians such as Styela clava are typically found in this biotope. Bryozoans such as Flustra foliacea are also found along with polychaetes such as Lanice conchilega. Little information is available with regard the infauna of this biotope but given the nature of the sediment the infaunal communities are liable to resemble those in biotopes from A5.1 and subunits. As with A5.444 this biotope could be considered a superficial or epibiotic overlay but more data is required to support this.
Source: EUNIS habitat classification
Quick facts
| EUNIS habitat type | code A5.431 |
|---|---|
| Bern Convention | Included in a Resolution 4 habitat type at a higher level (A5) |
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
Not availableSpecies mentioned in habitat description
Invertebrates
Alcyonium digitatum
Invertebrates
Flustra foliacea
Invertebrates
Lanice conchilega
| Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
|---|---|---|
| Alcyonium digitatum | Invertebrates | |
| Flustra foliacea | Invertebrates | |
| Lanice conchilega | Invertebrates |
Other classifications
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Habitat Classification Britain/Ireland 0405 | SS.SMx.IMx.CreAsAn | <I>Crepidula fornicata</I> with ascidians and anemones on infralittoral coarse mixed sediment | source |
| CORINE Land Cover | 5.2.2. | Estuaries | n/a |
History
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5.431 | Crepidula fornicata with ascidians and anemones on infralittoral coarse mixed sediment | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.431 | Crepidula fornicata and Aphelochaeta marioni in variable salinity shallow-water mixed sediment | narrower |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.431 | Crepidula fornicata and Aphelochaeta marioni in variable salinity shallow-water mixed sediment | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A4.451 | Crepidula fornicata and Aphelochaeta marioni in variable salinity shallow-water mixed sediment | same |
| MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland) | IMX.EstMx.CreAph | Crepidula fornicata and Aphelochaeta marioni in variable salinity infralittoral mixed sediment | same |
