BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Crepidula fornicata
All Taxonomy Biology Distribution Reproduction

Researched by	Will Rayment	Data supplied by	MarLIN
Refereed by	Dr Frédérique Viard
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & Ireland	In Britain, it is present on the east coast south of Spurn Head, the length of the south coast and northwards along the west coast to Cardigan Bay. It has been introduced accidentally to several locations in Ireland but a population has never persisted.
Global distribution	Originally found on the east coast of the Americas between Canada and Mexico. Now also introduced to British-Columbia, Washington state, Japan and Europe, where it is found on the Atlantic coast between Denmark and Spain, in Sicily and the Adriatic Sea.
Biogeographic range	Not researched	Depth range	Low water mark to 60 m
Migratory	Non-migratory / Resident
Distribution Additional Information	Although Crepidula fornicata is a cosmopolitan species, which can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions, populations are particularly well developed in wave protected areas such as bays, estuaries or sheltered sides of wave exposed islands (Blanchard, 1997). Similarly, the species is found on a variety of substrata but is most abundant in muddy or mixed muddy areas (De Montaudouin & Sauriau, 1999).

Substratum preferences	Small boulders Cobbles Pebbles Muddy gravel Gravel / shingle Fine clean sand Coarse clean sand Muddy sand Sandy mud Other species (see additional information) Mud Mixed	Physiographic preferences	Open coast Strait / sound Estuary Enclosed coast / Embayment
Biological zone	Sublittoral Fringe Upper Infralittoral Lower Infralittoral Upper Circalittoral Lower Circalittoral	Wave exposure	Sheltered Very Sheltered Extremely Sheltered
Tidal stream strength/Water flow	Moderately Strong (1-3 kn) Weak (<1 kn) Very Weak (negligible)	Salinity	Variable (18-40 psu)
Habitat Preferences Additional Information
Distribution References	Fretter & Graham, 1981, Hayward et al.., 1996, Fish & Fish, 1996, Montaudouin de & Sauriau, 1999, Minchin et al., 1995, Barnes et al., 1973, Blanchard, 1997, Connor et al., 1997(a), JNCC, 1999,