Turritella communis

Researched By	Lizzie Tyler	Data Supplied By	University of Sheffield
Refereed by	This information is not refereed.
Taxonomy
Scientific name	Turritella communis	Common name	An auger shell
MCS Code	W270	Recent Synonyms
Phylum	Mollusca	Subphylum
Superclass		Class	Gastropoda
Subclass	Prosobranchia	Order	Mesogastropoda
Suborder		Family	Turritellidae
Genus	Turritella	Species	communis
Subspecies
Additional Information
Taxonomy References	Gibson et al., 2001, Howson & Picton, 1997, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Graham, 1988
General Biology
Growth form	Turbinate	Feeding method	Passive suspension feeder, Active suspension feeder, Surface deposit feeder, Sub-surface deposit feeder
Mobility/Movement	Crawler, Burrower	Environmental position	Infaunal
Typical food types	Suspended organic particles	Habit	Free living
Bioturbator	Not relevant	Flexibility	None (< 10 degrees)
Fragility	Robust	Size	Small-medium(3-10cm)
Height	Not researched	Growth Rate	Not Researched
Adult dispersal potential	Not researched	Dependency	Independent
Sociability	Solitary	Host for	Occasionally a neotenous dwarf form of Capulus ungaricus (L.) (Gastropoda, Prosobranchia).
Toxic/Poisonous?	No
Additional Information
Biology References	Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Fish & Fish, 1996, Graham, 1988, Graham, 1938, Yonge, 1946b, Thorson, 1965, Yonge & Thompson, 1976, Seaward, 1982, Christensen, 1980, Hayward & Ryland, 1990, Julie Bremner, unpub data
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & Ireland	Found throughout much of the British Isles and Ireland, apart from in the eastern English Channel and the southern North Sea.
Global distribution	Found in north-west Europe from Norway to the Shetlands and south to Spain and the Canary Isles and in the Meditteranean off the coasts of Greece and Malta.
Biogeographic range	Temperate to warm temperate.	Depth range	0 - 220 m
Migratory	Non-migratory / Resident
Distribution Additional Information
Substratum preferences	Coarse clean sand, Fine clean sand, Sandy mud, Muddy sand, Mud, Gravelley sand, Gravelly mud	Physiographic preferences	Open coast, Offshore seabed
Biological zone	Sublittoral Fringe, Upper Infralittoral, Lower Infralittoral, Upper Circalittoral, Lower Circalittoral, Circalittoral Offshore	Wave exposure	Field unresearched
Tidal stream strength/Water flow	Field unresearched	Salinity	Full (30-40 psu)
Habitat Additional Information
AMBI Group (Borja et al., 2000)	II
Distribution References	JNCC, 1999, NBN, 2002, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Graham, 1988, Seaward, 1982, Christensen, 1980, Julie Bremner, unpub data
Reproduction/Life History
Reproductive type	Gonochoristic	Developmental mechanism
Reproductive Season	Not researched	Reproductive Location	Insufficient information
Reproductive frequency	Annual episodic	Regeneration potential	No
Life span	6-10 years	Age at reproductive maturity	1-2 years
Generation time	Not researched	Fecundity
Egg/propagule size		Fertilization type	Internal
Larvae/Juveniles Larval/Juvenile dispersal potential Not researched Larval settlement period Not researched Duration of larval stage
Additional Information
Reproduction References	Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Fish & Fish, 1996, Graham, 1988, Yonge & Thompson, 1976, Lebour, 1933, Seaward, 1982, Julie Bremner, unpub data