BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Brissopsis lyrifera
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	Recorded off the west, north and east coasts of the British Isles, but not off the south coast. Common in deep water.
Global distribution	Brissopsis lyrifera may be found in offshore or inshore stable sediments from Norway and Iceland to South Africa and the Mediterranean. Also present on the east coast of North America but not Greenland.
Biogeographic range	Not researched	Depth range	5 - 500 m
Migratory	Non-migratory / Resident
Distribution Additional Information	Brissopsis lyrifera typically co-occurs with the brittle star, %Amphiura chiajei%, on muddy, soft bottom areas of the North Sea, the Skagerrak and the Kattegat (Hollertz et al., 1998).

Substratum preferences	Mud Muddy sand	Physiographic preferences	Offshore seabed Open coast Sealoch
Biological zone	Lower Circalittoral Circalittoral Offshore Bathybenthic (Bathyal)	Wave exposure	Not relevant
Tidal stream strength/Water flow	Weak (<1 kn) Very Weak (negligible)	Salinity	Variable (18-40 psu) Full (30-40 psu)
Habitat Preferences Additional Information
Distribution References	Hayward et al., 1996, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Picton, 1993, Hollertz et al., 1998, Mortensen, 1927, Foster-Smith, 2000, Crothers, 1966, Bruce et al., 1963, Picton & Costello, 1998, JNCC, 1999, Hayward & Ryland, 1990, Mortensen, 1927,