EUNIS habitat classification 2012 amended 2019 > A - Marine habitats > A5 - Sublittoral sediment > A5.2 - Sublittoral sand > A5.24 - Infralittoral muddy sand > A5.241 - Echinocardium cordatum and Ensis spp. in lower shore and shallow sublittoral slightly muddy fine sand

Echinocardium cordatum and Ensis spp. in lower shore and shallow sublittoral slightly muddy fine sand

English name: Echinocardium cordatum and Ensis spp. in lower shore and shallow sublittoral slightly muddy fine sand

Quick facts

EUNIS habitat type code A5.241
Bern Convention Included in a Resolution 4 habitat type at a higher level (A5)

Description (English)

Sheltered lower shore and shallow sublittoral sediments of sand or muddy fine sand in fully marine conditions, support populations of the urchin Echinocardium cordatum and the razor shell Ensis siliqua or Ensis ensis. Other notable taxa within this biotope include occasional Lanice conchilega, Pagurus and Liocarcinus spp. and Asterias rubens. This biotope has primarily been recorded by epifaunal dive, video or trawl surveys where the presence of relatively conspicuous taxa such as E. cordatum and Ensis spp. have been recorded as characteristic of the community. However, these species, particularly E. cordatum have a wide distribution and are not necessarily the best choice for a characteristic taxa (Thorson, 1957). Furthermore, detailed quantitative infaunal data for this biotope is often rather scarce, possibly as a result of survey method as remote grab sampling is likely to under-estimate deep-burrowing species such as Ensis sp. (Warwick & Davis 1977). Consequently, it may be better to treat this biotope as an epibiotic overlay which is likely to overlap a number of other biotopes such as units A5.242, A5.233 and A5.261 with infaunal components of these biotopes occurring within A5.241. The precise nature of this infaunal community will be related to the nature of the substratum, in particular the quantity of silt/clay present. Infaunal species may include the polychaetes Spiophanes bombyx, Magelona mirabilis, Nephtys cirrosa and Chaetozone setosa and the amphipod Bathyporeia spp. This biotope is currently broadly defined and needs further consideration as to whether it should be placed at biotope or biotope complex level. A5.243 is another biotope based primarily on epibiotic data. It is likely that this biotope and A5.241 form a wider epibiotic sand /muddy sand community with A5.241 biased towards sandier areas and A5.243 towards slightly muddier areas.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification

Vegetation types

Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)

Not available

Species mentioned in habitat description

Invertebrates Asterias rubens
Invertebrates Chaetozone setosa
Invertebrates Echinocardium cordatum
Invertebrates Ensis ensis
Invertebrates Ensis siliqua
Invertebrates Lanice conchilega
Invertebrates Magelona mirabilis
Invertebrates Nephtys cirrosa
Invertebrates Spiophanes bombyx
Species scientific name English common name Species group
Asterias rubens Invertebrates
Chaetozone setosa Invertebrates
Echinocardium cordatum Invertebrates
Ensis ensis Invertebrates
Ensis siliqua Invertebrates
Lanice conchilega Invertebrates
Magelona mirabilis Invertebrates
Nephtys cirrosa Invertebrates
Spiophanes bombyx Invertebrates

Other classifications

Classification Code Habitat type name Relationship type
Marine Habitat Classification Britain/Ireland 0405 SS.SSa.IMuSa.EcorEns <I>Echinocardium cordatum</I> and <I>Ensis</I> spp. in lower shore and shallow sublittoral slightly muddy fine sand source
CORINE Land Cover 5.2.3. Sea and ocean n/a
For relation to plant communities (syntaxa), see Vegetation types

History

Classification Code Habitat type name Relationship type
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 A5.241 Echinocardium cordatum and Ensis spp. in lower shore and shallow sublittoral slightly muddy fine sand same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 A4.251 Echinocardium cordatum and Ensis spp. in shallow sublittoral slightly muddy fine sand same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 A4.251 Echinocardium cordatum and Ensis sp. in lower shore or shallow sublittoral muddy fine sand same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 A4.261 Echinocardium cordatum and Ensis sp. in lower shore or shallow sublittoral muddy fine sand same
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland) IMS.FaMS.EcorEns Echinocardium cordatum and Ensis sp. in lower shore or shallow sublittoral muddy fine sand same
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