Biodiversity & Conservation

For a full description of this biotope including characterizing species, distribution, survey information and references visit JNCC

Infralittoral medium to coarse sand and gravelly sand which is subject to moderately strong water movement from tidal streams may be characterised by Moerella sp. (now Tellina sp.) with the polychaete Glycera lapidum and venerid bivalves. Typical species include Tellina pygmaea, Tellina donacina with other robust bivalves such as Dosinia lupines, Timoclea ovata, Goodallia triangularis and Chamelea gallina. Other infaunal species include nephtyd and spionid polychaetes and amphipods. Another important component of this biotope, in some areas, is the bivalve Spisula solida (see Kohne & Rachnor, 1996) which may be common or abundant. Remote grab sampling is likely to under-estimate venerid bivalves and other deep-burrowing and more dispersed species such as Paphia, Ensis and Spatangus. (Information taken from the revised Marine Habitat Classification, Version 04.05: Connor et al., 2004.).

Tellina is now the accepted synonym for the key genus in this biotope, Moerella (WoRMS, 2009).