Pisidia longicornis

Researched By	Lizzie Tyler	Data Supplied By	University of Sheffield
Refereed by	This information is not refereed.
Taxonomy
Scientific name	Pisidia longicornis	Common name	Long clawed porcelain crab
MCS Code	S1482	Recent Synonyms	Porcellana longicornis
Phylum	Crustacea	Subphylum
Superclass		Class	Eumalacostraca
Subclass	Eucarida	Order	Decapoda
Suborder	Pleocyemata	Family	Porcellanidae
Genus	Pisidia	Species	longicornis
Subspecies
Additional Information
Taxonomy References	Ingle, 1997, Howson & Picton, 1997, Crothers & Crothers, 1988
General Biology
Growth form	Articulate	Feeding method	Passive suspension feeder, Active suspension feeder
Mobility/Movement	Swimmer, Crawler	Environmental position	Epifaunal
Typical food types	No text entered	Habit	Free living
Bioturbator	Not relevant	Flexibility	None (< 10 degrees)
Fragility	Fragile	Size	Small(1-2cm)
Height	Insufficient information	Growth Rate	Insufficient information
Adult dispersal potential	100-1000m	Dependency	Independent
Sociability	Solitary
Toxic/Poisonous?	No
Additional Information	Pisidia longicornis is the most numerically abundant decapod crustacean in sublittoral areas. It occurs in densities of up to 640 /m² (Robinson & Tully, 2000a). Smaldon (1972) suggests that it "may survive to breed for a second or third season" suggesting a life span of up to three years.
Biology References	Ingle, 1997, Smaldon, 1972, Robinson & Tully, 2000, Hayward & Ryland, 1990, Julie Bremner, unpub data
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & Ireland	Present all around Britain and Ireland.
Global distribution	Present in the north-east Atlantic from Norway to Angola, west Africa and the whole of the Mediterranean.
Biogeographic range	Not researched	Depth range	0 - 100 m
Migratory	Non-migratory / Resident
Distribution Additional Information	No text entered
Substratum preferences	Large to very large boulders, Small boulders	Physiographic preferences	Open coast, Strait / sound, Sealoch, Ria / Voe
Biological zone	Mid Eulittoral, Lower Eulittoral, Sublittoral Fringe, Upper Infralittoral, Lower Infralittoral, Upper Circalittoral, Lower Circalittoral	Wave exposure	Exposed, Moderately Exposed, Sheltered, Very Sheltered
Tidal stream strength/Water flow	Very Strong (>6 kn), Strong (3-6 kn), Moderately Strong (1-3 kn)	Salinity	Full (30-40 psu)
Habitat Additional Information
AMBI Group (Borja et al., 2000)	I
Distribution References	Ingle, 1997, Hayward & Ryland, 1990, Julie Bremner, unpub data
Reproduction/Life History
Reproductive type	Gonochoristic	Developmental mechanism	Planktotrophic
Reproductive Season	March to August	Reproductive Location	Insufficient information
Reproductive frequency	Annual episodic	Regeneration potential	No
Life span	3-5 years	Age at reproductive maturity
Generation time	Insufficient information	Fecundity
Egg/propagule size		Fertilization type	Insufficient information
Larvae/Juveniles Larval/Juvenile dispersal potential >10km Larval settlement period Insufficient information Duration of larval stage 1-2 months
Additional Information	Ingle (1997) indicates that eggs are present from March to August in southern England and from February to September in the Mediterranean.
Reproduction References	Ingle, 1997, Smaldon, 1972, Robinson & Tully, 2000, Robinson & Tully, 2000b, Julie Bremner, unpub data