BIOTIC Species Information for Crepidula fornicata
Researched byWill Rayment Data supplied byMarLIN
Refereed byDr Frédérique Viard
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & IrelandIn 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 distributionOriginally 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 rangeNot researched Depth rangeLow water mark to 60 m
MigratoryNon-migratory / Resident   
Distribution Additional InformationAlthough 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 preferencesSmall 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 preferencesOpen coast
Strait / sound
Estuary
Enclosed coast / Embayment
Biological zoneSublittoral Fringe
Upper Infralittoral
Lower Infralittoral
Upper Circalittoral
Lower Circalittoral
Wave exposureSheltered
Very Sheltered
Extremely Sheltered
Tidal stream strength/Water flowModerately Strong (1-3 kn)
Weak (<1 kn)
Very Weak (negligible)
SalinityVariable (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,
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