Atlantic infralittoral mud
Description (English)
Shallow sublittoral muds, extending from the extreme lower shore to about 15-20 m depth in fully marine or near marine conditions, predominantly in extremely sheltered areas with very weak tidal currents. Such habitats are found in sealochs and some rias and harbours.
Infralittoral, cohesive sandy mud, typically with over 20% silt/clay, have a rich variety of polychaetes including Melinna palmate, tube building amphipods (Ampelisca spp.) and deposit feeding bivalves such as Limecola balthica (Macoma balthica) and Mysella bidentata. Sea pens such as Virgularia mirabilis and brittlestars such as Amphiura spp. may be present but not in the same abundances as found in deeper circalittoral waters.
Mud with minimal sand content have populations of the lugworm Arenicola marina may be dense, with anemones, the opisthobranch Philine aperta and synaptid holothurians also characteristic in some areas. The extent of the oxidised layer may be shallow with some areas being periodically or permanently anoxic. In these areas bacterial mats may develop on the sediment surface. Infaunal records for this biotope complex are limited encompassing only one biotope. They are therefore not representative of the full suit of infaunal species found in this biotope.
Source: EUNIS habitat classification
Quick facts
| EUNIS habitat type | code MB62 |
|---|---|
| Relation to | Resolution 4 habitat type (used for designation of Emerald sites) |
Legal status
Relation to other habitat types mentioned in legal instruments
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
Not availableSpecies mentioned in habitat description
Other classifications
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012) | A5.33 | Infralittoral sandy mud | overlap |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012) | A5.3 | Sublittoral mud | overlap |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012) | A5.34 | Infralittoral fine mud | narrower |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012) | A5.5 | Sublittoral macrophyte-dominated sediment | narrower |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012) | A5 | Sublittoral sediment | overlap |
History
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5.34 | Infralittoral fine mud | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5.5 | Sublittoral macrophyte-dominated sediment | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5 | Sublittoral sediment | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5.33 | Infralittoral sandy mud | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5.3 | Sublittoral mud | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.554 | Baltic level gravel bottoms of the infralittoral photic zone dominated by macrophyte vegetation | narrower | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.5 | Sublittoral macrophyte-dominated sediment | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.557 | Baltic mixed sediments of the infralittoral photic zone dominated by macrophyte vegetation | narrower | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.74 | Animal communities of deep circalittoral muddy bottoms | narrower | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4 | Sublittoral sediment | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.31 | Shallow fully marine mud communities | wider | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.555 | Baltic level sandy bottoms of the infralittoral photic zone dominated by macrophyte vegetation | narrower | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.3 | Sublittoral mud | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.556 | Baltic muds of the infralittoral photic zone dominated by macrophyte vegetation | 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 200202 | A4.5 | Shallow sublittoral sediments dominated by angiosperms | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4 | Sublittoral sediments | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.31 | Shallow fully marine mud communities | wider | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A4.3 | Sublittoral muds | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A4.5 | Shallow-water sediments dominated by angiosperms (other than Posidonia) | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A4 | Sublittoral sediments | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A4.31 | Shallow marine mud communities | wider | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 | A4.31 | Shallow marine mud communities | wider | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 | A4.5 | Infralittoral sediments dominated by macrophytes | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 | A4 | Sublittoral sediments | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712 | X16 | Sublittoral sediments | same | |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 | 11.22 | Sublittoral soft seabeds | narrower | |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 | 11.23 | Sublittoral pebbly seabeds | narrower | |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 | 11.22 | Sublittoral soft seabeds | narrower | |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 | 11.23 | Sublittoral pebbly seabeds | narrower | |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 | 11.23 | narrower | ||
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 | 11.22 | narrower | ||
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993 | 11.22 | narrower | ||
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993 | 11.23 | narrower | ||
| CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991 | 11.22 | narrower | ||
| CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991 | 11.23 | narrower | ||
| MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland) | SS | Sublittoral sediments | same | |
| MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland) | IMU.MarMu | Shallow marine mud communities | wider |
