NPSpecies

Specimen(s) collected during a study of coastal rock pools of Lake Superior at Isle Royale. Two shoreline zones were differentiated using a line between upslope “lichen zone” pools and downslope “splash zone” pools. See citation for details. Distribution — Across Canada from YT to Newfoundland and south to CA and the Gulf Coast states. Ecology — Extremely common in lotic systems, yet adaptable to diverse habitats. Apparently tolerant to environmental stress, including oil wastes. Remarks — IRNP specimens occupied both zones broadly, reconfirming it as a habitat generalist. Known to become abundant if pollution or toxic conditions exclude other species, C. bicinctus would be useful as an indicator of ecological health during oil spill remediation.