BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Serpula vermicularis
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	Distributed mainly around the north-west coast of Scotland. Also present on the north-east coast of England and the north-west coast of Ireland with scattered records around much of the coast of Britain and Ireland.
Global distribution	Thought to be distributed in the north east Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
Biogeographic range	Not researched	Depth range
Migratory	Non-migratory / Resident
Distribution Additional Information	Global distribution Although it is reported that Serpula vermicularis has a world-wide distribution, there is a great deal of taxonomic confusion and it is currently thought that the species is limited to the north east Atlantic and the Mediterranean (Holt et al., 1998). There is also the possibility that within the Mediterranean it is actually part of a complex of two or three species (ten Hove pers. comm. cited in Holt et al., 1998).

Substratum preferences	Other species (see additional information) Artificial (e.g. metal/wood/concrete) Bedrock Biogenic reef Large to very large boulders Small boulders Pebbles Cobbles	Physiographic preferences	Open coast Offshore seabed Strait / sound Sealoch Estuary
Biological zone	Sublittoral Fringe Upper Infralittoral Lower Infralittoral Upper Circalittoral Lower Circalittoral Circalittoral Offshore	Wave exposure	Moderately Exposed Sheltered Very Sheltered
Tidal stream strength/Water flow	Weak (<1 kn)	Salinity	Full (30-40 psu)
Habitat Preferences Additional Information	None entered
Distribution References	Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Hayward et al., 1996, Holt et al., 1998, Fish & Fish, 1996, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b,