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Concept: Seapens and burrowing megafauna in circalittoral fine mud in the eunishabitats vocabulary

Concept URI http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/eunishabitats/A5.361
Preferred label Seapens and burrowing megafauna in circalittoral fine mud
Definition Plains of fine mud at depths greater than about 15 m may be heavily bioturbated by burrowing megafauna; burrows and mounds may form a prominent feature of the sediment surface with conspicuous populations of seapens, typically [Virgularia mirabilis] and [Pennatula phosphorea]. The burrowing crustacea present typically include [Nephrops norvegicus], which is frequently recorded from surface observations although grab sampling may fail to sample this species. Indeed, some forms of sampling may also fail to indicate seapens as characterising species. This biotope also seems to occur in deep offshore waters in the North Sea, where densities of [Nephrops norvegicus] may reach 68 per 10 m2 (see Dyer [et al]. 1982, 1983), and the Irish Sea. The burrowing anemone [Cerianthus lloydii] and the ubiquitous epibenthic scavengers [Asterias rubens], [Pagurus bernhardus] and [Liocarcinus depurator] are present in low numbers in this biotope whilst the brittlestars [Ophiura albida] and [Ophiura ophiura] are sometimes present, but are much more common in slightly coarser sediments. Low numbers of the anemone [Pachycerianthus multiplicatus] may also be found, and this species, which is scarce in the UK, appears to be restricted to this habitat (Plaza & Sanderson 1997). The infauna may contain significant populations of the polychaetes [Pholoe] spp., [Glycera] spp., [Nephtys] spp., spionids, [Pectinaria belgica] and [Terebellides stroemi], the bivalves [Nucula sulcata], [Corbula gibba] and [Thyasira flexuosa], and the echinoderm [Brissopsis lyrifera]. Situation: These soft mud habitats occur extensively throughout the more sheltered basins of sealochs and voes and are present in quite shallow depths (as little as 15 m) in these areas probably because they are very sheltered from wave action.
Notation A5.361
Status Valid
Status Modified 2014-01-31
Accepted Date 2014-01-31
Not Accepted Date
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