Littorina saxatilis
System : Marine
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Animalia
Mollusca
Gastropoda
Littorinimorpha
Littorinidae
  • Not Evaluated
    NE
  • No Alien Population
    NA
  • Data Deficient
    DD
  • Minimal Concern
    MC
  • Minor
    MN
  • Moderate
    MO
  • Major
    MR
  • Massive
    MV
  • General
  • Distribution
  • Impact
  • Management
  • Bibliography
  • Contact
Common name
Rough Periwinkle (English)
Synonym
Litorina groenlandica ,Menke, 1830
Litorina incarnata ,R. A. Philippi, 1846
Litorina marmorata ,L. Pfeiffer, 1839
Litorina rudis ,(Maton, 1797)
Litorina sulcata ,Menke, 1830
Litorina tenebrosa ,(Montagu, 1803)
Similar species
Summary

Principal source:

Compiler:

Review:

Publication date:

Recommended citation: Global Invasive Species Database (2026) Species profile: Littorina saxatilis. Downloaded from http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc=1926 on 06-11-2026.

Countries (or multi-country features) with distribution records for Littorina saxatilis
ALIEN RANGE
NATIVE RANGE
Informations on Littorina saxatilis has been recorded for the following locations. Click on the name for additional informations.
Lorem Ipsum
Location Status Invasiveness Occurrence Source
Details of Littorina saxatilis in information
Status
Invasiveness
Arrival date
Occurrence
Source
Introduction
Species notes for this location
Location note
Management notes for this location
Impact
Mechanism:
Outcome:
Ecosystem services:
Impact information
Red List assessed species 0:
Locations
UNITED STATES
Mechanism
[1] Competition
[1] Parasitism
Management information
Bibliography
2 references found for Littorina saxatilis

Management information
General information
Blakeslee AMH, Altman I, Miller AW, Byers JE, Hamer CE, Ruiz GM (2012) Parasites and invasions: a biogeographic examination of parasites and hosts in native and introduced ranges. Journal of Biogeography 39: 609-622. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365 -2699.2011.02631.x
Carlton JT and Cohen AN (1998) Periwinkle's progress: the Atlantic snail Littorina saxatilis (Mollusca: Gastropoda) establishes a colony on a Pacific shore. Veliger 41: 333-338.
Contact
The following 0 contacts offer information an advice on Littorina saxatilis
DD
Littorina saxatilis
Rough Periwinkle
Date assessed
2023-09-26
Year published
2023
Eicat category
DD (Data Deficient)
Justification for EICAT assessment


There have not been studies regarding the impacts of Littorina saxatilis in San Francisco Bay or other invaded regions but it has the potential to outcompete the native Northeast Pacific periwinkles due to its large size and durability under a large range of conditions. Due to this potential and lack of information the DD-Data deficient EICAT Category was assigned.
Confidence rating
Mechanism(s) of maximum impact
Competition
Countries of most severe impact
U.S.A.
Description of impacts
L. saxatilis is of concern because of its competitive habits with native periwinkles. L. saxatilis has the largest habitat range when compared to other Littorina species and is capable of surviving in a wide range of environmental conditions. In addition, in November 1996 no native periwinkles were found when L. saxatilis was present which, has led to the conclusion that a possible competitive component is taking place. However, actual competitive interaction are yet to be studied.
Assessor
Amy Henry
Contributors
Cascade Sorte
Reviewers
Wolfgang Rabitsch
Recommended citation
Amy Henry (2026). Littorina saxatilis. IUCN Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT).