Faunal communities of Atlantic circalittoral mud
Description (English)
Circalittoral, cohesive sandy mud, typically with over 20% silt/clay, generally in water depths of over 10 m, with weak or very weak tidal streams. This habitat is generally found in deeper areas of bays and marine inlets or offshore from less wave exposed coasts. Sea pens such as Virgularia mirabilis and brittlestars such as Amphiura spp. are particularly characteristic of this habitat whilst infaunal species include the tube building polychaetes Lagis koreni and Owenia fusiformis, and deposit feeding bivalves such as Mysella bidentata and Abra spp.
Sublittoral muds, occurring below moderate depths of 15-20 m, either on the open coast or in marine inlets such as sealochs. The seapens Virgularia mirabilis and Pennatula phosphorea are characteristic of this habitat type together with the burrowing anemone Cerianthus lloydii and the ophiuroid Amphiura spp. The relatively stable conditions often lead to the establishment of communities of burrowing megafaunal species, such as Nephrops norvegicus.
Source: EUNIS habitat classification
Quick facts
EUNIS habitat type | code MC621 |
---|---|
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
Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
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Mysella bidentata | Invertebrates | |
Nephrops norvegicus | Invertebrates |
Other classifications
History
Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5.36 | Circalittoral fine mud | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5.721 | Periodically and permanently anoxic sublittoral muds | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5.35 | Circalittoral sandy mud | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.36 | Animal communities of circalittoral muds | wider | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.36 | Animal communities of circalittoral muds | wider | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.35 | Periodically and permanently anoxic sublittoral muds | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A4.36 | Animal communities of circalittoral muds | wider | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A4.38 | Periodically anoxic sublittoral muds | same |