Philine aperta

Researched By	Emily Wilson	Data Supplied By	MarLIN
Refereed by	This information is not refereed.
Taxonomy
Scientific name	Philine aperta	Common name	Lobe shell
MCS Code	W1038	Recent Synonyms	None
Phylum	Mollusca	Subphylum
Superclass		Class	Gastropoda
Subclass	Opisthobranchia	Order	Cephalaspidea
Suborder		Family	Philinidae
Genus	Philine	Species	aperta
Subspecies
Additional Information	No text entered
Taxonomy References	Howson & Picton, 1997, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Hayward et al., 1996, Fish & Fish, 1996, Thompson & Brown, 1976
General Biology
Growth form	Globose	Feeding method	Predator, Scavenger
Mobility/Movement	Crawler	Environmental position	Infaunal
Typical food types	Pectinaria koreni, Echinocyamus pusillus, foraminiferans, and small infaunal lamellibranchs and gastropods.	Habit	Free living
Bioturbator		Flexibility	Low (10-45 degrees)
Fragility	Intermediate	Size	Small-medium(3-10cm)
Height	Insufficient information	Growth Rate	Insufficient information
Adult dispersal potential	>10km	Dependency	Independent
Sociability	Solitary
Toxic/Poisonous?	No
Additional Information	Philine aperta lives just beneath the surface of fine sediment. The species 'ploughs' through the sediment as it moves and should not really be considered as burrowing species. Although the species has an internal shell, this is small relative to the total body size and there is therefore, some flexibility. A scavenging habit was observed under laboratory conditions on freshly killed bivalves.
Biology References	Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Hayward et al., 1996, Fish & Fish, 1996, Thompson & Brown, 1976, Thompson, 1976, Lancaster, 1983
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & Ireland	At a few recorded locations all around the British Isles.
Global distribution	Norway to the Mediterranean Sea, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
Biogeographic range	Not researched	Depth range	0-500m
Migratory	Data deficient
Distribution Additional Information	No text entered
Substratum preferences	Muddy sand, Fine clean sand, Sandy mud	Physiographic preferences	Insufficient information
Biological zone	Lower Eulittoral, Sublittoral Fringe, Upper Infralittoral	Wave exposure	Insufficient information
Tidal stream strength/Water flow	Insufficient information	Salinity	Insufficient information
Habitat Additional Information
AMBI Group (Borja et al., 2000)	II
Distribution References	Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Hayward et al., 1996, Fish & Fish, 1996, Thompson & Brown, 1976, Thompson, 1976, Lancaster, 1983
Reproduction/Life History
Reproductive type	Permanent hermaphrodite	Developmental mechanism	Planktotrophic
Reproductive Season	April to August	Reproductive Location	Insufficient information
Reproductive frequency	Annual episodic	Regeneration potential	No
Life span	3-5 years	Age at reproductive maturity	Insufficient information
Generation time	Insufficient information	Fecundity	Up to 50,000 ova per egg mass
Egg/propagule size	Insufficient information	Fertilization type	Insufficient information
Larvae/Juveniles Larval/Juvenile dispersal potential >10km Larval settlement period Insufficient information Duration of larval stage 1-6 months
Additional Information	Longevity is believed to be 3-4 years. In Britain spawning has been recorded from spring to summer when flask-shaped egg masses are laid. Egg masses may each contain up to 50,000 white ova. Veliger larvae hatch after a few days.
Reproduction References	Fish & Fish, 1996, Thompson, 1976, Lancaster, 1983, Hansen & Ockelmann, 1991