BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Urticina felina
All Taxonomy Biology Distribution Reproduction

Researched by	Angus Jackson & Dr Keith Hiscock	Data supplied by	MarLIN
Refereed by	Prof. Daphne Fautin
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & Ireland	Found on all coasts of the British Isles.
Global distribution	The species is boreal-arctic with a possible circumpolar distribution. Found throughout Europe from northern Russia to Biscay but not in the Mediterranean. Records from elsewhere are incomplete and there is considerable confusion in taxonomy.
Biogeographic range	Not researched	Depth range	Down to at least 100m
Migratory	Non-migratory / Resident
Distribution Additional Information	Individuals found further offshore tend to be larger in size. %Urticina eques% is a similar but larger species (up to 30 cm tentacle spread) with longer tentacles and more commonly found offshore and in deeper water to 400 m. This species has fewer or no verrucae and no attached gravel or other particles. Urticina felina is recorded from several estuarine sites including Mucking in Thames estuary and the river Blackwater estuary and so will be subject to variable or low salinities. In the Westerschelde estuary, Braber & Borghouts (1977) found that Urticina (as Tealia) felina penetrated to about the 11ppt Chlorinity (about 20 psu) isohaline at mid tide during average water discharge making it tolerant of reduced salinity conditions.

Substratum preferences	Other species (see additional information) Bedrock Large to very large boulders Small boulders Crevices / fissures	Physiographic preferences	Open coast Offshore seabed Strait / sound Sealoch Ria / Voe Estuary
Biological zone	Lower Eulittoral Sublittoral Fringe Upper Infralittoral Lower Infralittoral Upper Circalittoral Lower Circalittoral	Wave exposure	Extremely Exposed Very Exposed Exposed Moderately Exposed Sheltered
Tidal stream strength/Water flow	Very Strong (>6 kn) Strong (3-6 kn) Moderately Strong (1-3 kn) Weak (<1 kn)	Salinity	Variable (18-40 psu) Reduced (18-30 psu) Full (30-40 psu) Low (<18 psu)
Habitat Preferences Additional Information	Rasmussen, (1973) records Urticina felina as being very common in banks of Mytilus feeding mostly on gammarids.
Distribution References	Hayward et al., 1996, Solé-Cava et al., 1985, Manuel, 1988, Migné & Davoult, 1997(a), Rasmussen, 1973, Picton & Costello, 1998, JNCC, 1999, Moen, 1996, George et al., 1988, Bruce et al., 1963, Braber & Borghouts, 1877,