BIOTIC Species Information for Corallina officinalis
Researched byDr Harvey Tyler-Walters Data supplied byMarLIN
Refereed byDr Thomas Wiedemann
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & IrelandGenerally distributed around all shores of the British Isles.
Global distributionRecorded widely in the north Atlantic, from northern Norway to Morocco, from Greenland to Argentina. Also reported in Japan, China and Australasia.
Biogeographic rangeNot researched Depth range0 - 18m
MigratoryNon-migratory / Resident   
Distribution Additional InformationIn exposed conditions it may grow as a cushion like or compact turf (Irvine & Chamberlain 1994; Dommasnes 1968). Corallina officinalis growing under macroalgal canopies may be abraded and fronds shortened by macroalgal lamina moved by tidal action. Recorded from Scandinavia, Iceland, northern Norway, Baltic Sea, Helgoland, Faroes, Netherlands, northern France, Spain, Portugal, the Azores, Morocco, Madeira, and the Canary Islands in the north east Atlantic. Reported from Spain, Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia, Italy, Scilly, Adriatic, Greece, Turkey, Levant States, Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria in the Mediterranean. It is also recorded from west coast of South Africa., Japan, China, Australia (Queensland) and New Zealand. Also recorded from Greenland and Arctic Canada to the USA, Caribbean Venezuela, Columbia and Argentina.

Substratum preferencesArtificial (e.g. metal/wood/concrete)
Bedrock
Large to very large boulders
Rockpools
Crevices / fissures
Physiographic preferencesOpen coast
Strait / sound
Sealoch
Ria / Voe
Estuary
Enclosed coast / Embayment
Biological zoneMid Eulittoral
Sublittoral Fringe
Upper Infralittoral
Lower Eulittoral
Wave exposureVery Exposed
Exposed
Moderately Exposed
Sheltered
Tidal stream strength/Water flowModerately Strong (1-3 kn)
Weak (<1 kn)
Very Weak (negligible)
SalinityVariable (18-40 psu)
Full (30-40 psu)
Habitat Preferences Additional Information
Distribution References Fish & Fish, 1996, Irvine & Chamberlain, 1994, Dickinson, 1963, Guiry, 2000, Norton, 1985, JNCC, 1999, Picton & Costello, 1998, Johansen, 1974, Dommasnes, 1968, Bamber & Irving, 1993, Hardy & Guiry, 2003,
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