Biodiversity & Conservation

Few species are believed to feed on Sabellaria spinulosa. The presence of brittle stars can provide a food source for mobile species such as predatory starfish (Asterias rubens, Marthasterias glacialis and Luidia ciliaris) or wrasse. The structural complexity of the biotope created by the Sabellaria spinulosa crust, Ophiothrix fragilis and other species such as Alcyonium digitatum may provide substrata and shelter, temporary or otherwise.

The UK BAP for Sabellaria spinulosa reefs is most likely to be a different biotope: CMX.SpiMx (Sabellaria spinulosa and Polydora sp. on stable circalittoral mixed sediment). There has been considerable concern about decline in Sabellaria spinulosa reefs and shrimp fisheries have been implicated in the decline. However, Vorberg (2000) could find no damage caused after experiments with shrimp trawls in the Wadden Sea and suggests that declines might be more associated with changing patterns of currents perhaps associated with construction, dredging and dumping.