Habitat Type
[after Boesch (1979)] |
Description |
| Depth (m) |
Characterization
(Pratt (1973) faunal zone) |
Characteristic Benthic Macrofauna |
| Inner shelf |
0-30 |
Coarse sands with finer sands off
MD and VA (sand zone) |
Polychaetes:Polygordius, Goniadella, and Spiophanes |
| Central shelf |
30-50 |
(sand zone) |
Polychaetes:Spiophanes and Goniadella
Amphipod:Pseudunciola |
| Central and inner shelf swales |
0-50 |
Occurs in swales between sand ridges (sand zone) |
Polychaetes:Spiophanes, Lumbrineris, and Polygordius |
| Outer shelf |
50-100 |
(silty sand zone) |
Amphipods:Ampelisca vadorum and Erichthonius
Polychaetes:Spiophanes |
| Outer shelf swales |
50-100 |
Occurs in swales between sand ridges (silty sand zone) |
Amphipods:Ampelisca agassizi, Unciola, and Erichthonius |
| Shelf break |
100-200 |
(silt-clay zone) |
Not given |
| Continental slope |
>200 |
(none) |
Not given |