BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Halichondria bowerbanki
All Taxonomy Biology Distribution Reproduction

Researched by	Dr Keith Hiscock and Hugh Jones	Data supplied by	MarLIN
Refereed by	Dr Rob van Soest
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & Ireland	Commonly found in southern England, Pembrokeshire and north west Wales, also frequently found in western Scotland. Isolated records from the North Sea.
Global distribution	Present on both sides of the north Atlantic. In Europe it has been reported south to Brittany, and is found in the south west Netherlands and in harbours of the Wadden Sea. It is a non-native species in North America.
Biogeographic range	Not researched	Depth range	Occasionally intertidal, to 90 m
Migratory	Non-migratory / Resident
Distribution Additional Information	In the United Kingdom, Halichondria bowerbanki (studied as Halichondria coalita) was recorded up to depths of 90 m (Bowerbank, 1874, cited in Vethaak et al., 1982).

Substratum preferences	Overhangs Bedrock	Physiographic preferences	Estuary Strait / sound Ria / Voe Isolated saline water (Lagoon)
Biological zone	Sublittoral Fringe	Wave exposure	Sheltered
Tidal stream strength/Water flow	Strong (3-6 kn) Moderately Strong (1-3 kn) Weak (<1 kn)	Salinity	Full (30-40 psu) Reduced (18-30 psu)
Habitat Preferences Additional Information	Occurs in muddy environments where the similar sponge Halichondria panicea cannot survive. Reaches its best development in harbours. In the Oosterschelde, Halichondria bowerbanki was found growing on tunicates (especially Styela clava), molluscs and, in a brackish lagoon, on small reefs of Electra crustulenta (Vethaak et al., 1982).
Distribution References	Soest van et al., 2000, Hayward et al., 1996, Moss & Ackers, 1982, Biernbaum, 1981, Soest van, 1977, JNCC, 1999, NBN, 2002, Vethaak et al., 1982, Bowerbank, 1874,