Meanings
- uncountableThe community of microscopic species (e.g., diatoms) that attach themselves to grains of sand.
The benthic microflora of marine sands includes bacteria, blue-green bacteria (cyanobacteria), autotrophic flagellates, and diatoms. Those attached to sand grains are generally known as epipsammon (Fig. 4.1).
2017, Anton McLachlan, Omar Defeo, The Ecology of Sandy Shores, Academic Press, →ISBN, page 63 - uncountableThe community of biota or fauna that live on top of sand.
1 more example
These groups are 1) the epipsammon, or surface-dwelling, generally motile macrofauna; 2) the endopsammon, or burrowing species that are too large to live in interstitial spaces; and 3) the mesopsammon, or interstitial fauna. The epipsammon is limited to a few groups such as fish or birds which are strong or speedy enough to exploit this turbulent environment.
1980, Ecological Characterization of the Sea Island Coastal Region of South Carolina and Georgia (FWS/OBS; 79/42), volume 3, Fish and Wildlife Service, →OCLC, page 83
Origin
From epipsammic + -on, compare psammon.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
epipsammon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/epipsammon
“epipsammon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/epipsammon. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “epipsammon,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/epipsammon.
Source: epipsammon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.