BIOTIC Species Information for Gammarus salinus
Researched byGeorgina Budd Data supplied byMarLIN
Refereed byThis information is not refereed.
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & IrelandOn all coasts of England, Scotland and Wales in brackish-water, especially in the Humber and Severn Estuaries.
Global distributionNorth-west Europe from English Channel to Baltic, some isolated reports of Gammarus salinus on the Iberian Peninsula.
Biogeographic rangeNot researched Depth range0-10 m
MigratoryNon-migratory / Resident   
Distribution Additional InformationGammarus species are abundant estuarine animals. Spooner (1947) stated that gammarids were adaptable to various surroundings and not limited to particularly specialised ecological niches. Nor did they show gross patchiness of distribution within their habitable range, rather continuous populations occupy the entire length of estuaries, although the proportion of species represented changes from head to mouth. Furthermore, gammarids are relatively indifferent to the nature of the substratum to a remarkable degree. Provided that there is some kind of object to provide them with shelter/cover it does not matter whether the substratum is muddy or stony, the water turbid or clear and almost any kind of organic matter provides detritus upon which to feed (Spooner, 1947).

The distributional range of Gammarus salinus to the south was thought to be restricted as far as the English Channel. However, Van Maren (1975) reported Gammarus salinus for the first time on the Spanish coast in 1974.

Substratum preferencesAlgae
Gravel / shingle
Coarse clean sand
Physiographic preferencesEstuary
Biological zoneUpper Infralittoral
Lower Infralittoral
Wave exposureSheltered
Very Sheltered
Extremely Sheltered
Tidal stream strength/Water flowStrong (3-6 kn)
Moderately Strong (1-3 kn)
SalinityReduced (18-30 psu)
Low (<18 psu)
Habitat Preferences Additional Information
Distribution References Lincoln, 1979, JNCC, 1999, NBN, 2002, Maren van, 1975, Crothers, 1966, Spooner, 1947,
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