BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Echinocardium cordatum
All Taxonomy Biology Distribution Reproduction

Researched by	Lizzie Tyler	Data supplied by	University of Sheffield
Refereed by	This information is not refereed.
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & Ireland	Echinocardium cordatum is a common infaunal species found on sheltered sandy beaches, on all coasts of Britain and Ireland.
Global distribution	Almost cosmopolitan except for polar seas: Norway to South Africa, Mediterranean, Australasia and Japan.
Biogeographic range	Not researched	Depth range	0 - 230 m
Migratory	Seasonal (reproduction)
Distribution Additional Information	The species has an annual tendency to form aggregations during the breeding season (Buchanan, 1966). There is also a migration of individuals from the subtidal to the intertidal at about 2 years of age.

Substratum preferences	Coarse clean sand Fine clean sand Muddy sand Sandy mud	Physiographic preferences	Open coast Offshore seabed Strait / sound Enclosed coast / Embayment
Biological zone	Lower Eulittoral Sublittoral Fringe Upper Infralittoral Lower Infralittoral Upper Circalittoral Lower Circalittoral Circalittoral Offshore	Wave exposure	Sheltered Very Sheltered Extremely Sheltered
Tidal stream strength/Water flow	Insufficient information	Salinity	Reduced (18-30 psu) Full (30-40 psu)
Habitat Preferences Additional Information
Distribution References	Fish & Fish, 1996, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Buchanan, 1966, Higgins, 1974, Hayward & Ryland, 1990, Julie Bremner, unpub data,