Neptunea antiqua

Researched By	Lizzie Tyler	Data Supplied By	University of Sheffield
Refereed by	This information is not refereed.
Taxonomy
Scientific name	Neptunea antiqua	Common name	Red whelk
MCS Code	W727	Recent Synonyms
Phylum	Mollusca	Subphylum
Superclass		Class	Gastropoda
Subclass		Order	Neogastropoda
Suborder		Family	Buccinidae
Genus	Neptunea	Species	antiqua
Subspecies
Additional Information
Taxonomy References	Hayward et al., 1996, Howson & Picton, 1997, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b
General Biology
Growth form	Turbinate	Feeding method	Predator, Scavenger
Mobility/Movement	Crawler	Environmental position	Epifaunal, Epibenthic
Typical food types	Invertebrate fauna such as bivalves (e.g. Macoma sp., Abra sp.), gastropod eggs, polychaetes, ascidians	Habit	Free living
Bioturbator	Not relevant	Flexibility	None (< 10 degrees)
Fragility	Robust	Size	Medium(11-20 cm)
Height	Not researched	Growth Rate	Not Researched
Adult dispersal potential	Not researched	Dependency	Independent
Sociability	Solitary
Toxic/Poisonous?	No
Additional Information
Biology References	Howson & Picton, 1997, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Seaward, 1982, Christensen, 1980, Graham, 1988, Philippart, 1998, Fish & Fish 1996, Taylor, 1978, Pearce & Thorson, 1967, Graham, 1955b, Graham, 1953, Yonge & Thompson, 1976, Blegvad, 1914, Hayward & Ryland, 1990, Julie Bremner, unpub data
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & Ireland	Found throughout much of the British Isles and Ireland, less so in the south and off western Ireland.
Global distribution	Found in north-west Europe from Poland, Norway and the Shetlands (and possibly further north) to Spain and the Azores.
Biogeographic range	Temperate.	Depth range	15 - 1200 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, Strait / sound, Sealoch, Ria / Voe, Estuary
Biological zone	Upper Infralittoral, Lower Infralittoral, Upper Circalittoral, Lower Circalittoral, Circalittoral Offshore, Bathybenthic (Bathyal)	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)	I
Distribution References	Hayward et al., 1996, NBN, 2002, Bruce et al., 1963, Howson & Picton, 1997, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Seaward, 1982, Christensen, 1980, Pearce & Thorson, 1967, Hayward & Ryland, 1990, Julie Bremner, unpub data
Reproduction/Life History
Reproductive type	Gonochoristic	Developmental mechanism	Oviparous
Reproductive Season	Not researched	Reproductive Location	As adult
Reproductive frequency	Semelparous	Regeneration potential	No
Life span	21-100 years	Age at reproductive maturity	6-10 years
Generation time	Not researched	Fecundity
Egg/propagule size		Fertilization type	Internal
Larvae/Juveniles Larval/Juvenile dispersal potential Not relevant Larval settlement period Not researched Duration of larval stage
Additional Information
Reproduction References	Howson & Picton, 1997, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Seaward, 1982, Graham, 1988, Fish & Fish 1996, Pearce & Thorson, 1967, Graham, 1953, Poloczanska & Ansell, 1999, Julie Bremner, unpub data