MC6-2 - Vase du circalittoral en Atlantique

Atlantic circalittoral mud

Classification des habitats EUNIS 2022

Descriptif de l'habitat

The seapens Virgularia mirabilis and Pennatula phosphorea are characteristic of this biotope complex 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.
Circalittoral, cohesive sandy mud, typically with over 20% silt/clay, generally occurs in water depths of over 10m, 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.

Bibliographie

European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity 2022. EUNIS marine habitat classification 2022 including crosswalks. Table Excel. (Source)