Biodiversity & Conservation

Dense Lanice conchilega and other polychaetes in tide-swept infralittoral sand

SS.IGS.FaS.Lcon

IGS.Lcon

Image Bernard Picton - Dense Lanice conchilega and other polychaetes in tide-swept infralittoral sand. Image width ca 7 cm
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Distribution map

SS.IGS.FaS.Lcon recorded (dark blue bullet) and expected (light blue bullet) distribution in Britain and Ireland (see below)

  • EC_Habitats
  • UK_BAP

Marine natural heritage importance

Listed under EC Habitats Directive
UK Biodiversity Action Plan
National importance Not available
Habitat Directive feature (Annex 1) Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time
Large shallow inlets and bays
Estuaries

Biotope importance

The major marine predators of the sand infauna are fish, especially the sand goby, Pomatoschistus minutus, sole, Solea solea, and plaice Pleuronectes platessa. Gobies feed mainly on polychaete worms. Sole exploit sheltered locations at night, feeding on polychaetes but more especially on small bivalve molluscs. Juvenile plaice are the most significant fish predators, and sheltered coastal inlets are important nursery grounds for first year, or O-group fish which feed upon small polychaetes and bivalve spat (Hayward, 1994).

Exploitation

None of the species within this biotope are likely to be subject to exploitation in this habitat.

Additional information icon Additional information

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This review can be cited as follows:

Budd, G.C. 2006. Dense Lanice conchilega and other polychaetes in tide-swept infralittoral sand. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 23/05/2013]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/habitatimportance.php?habitatid=116&code=1997>