Distribution: Desmarestia ligulata can be found ranging across the North Pacific in the cold current waters from the Aleutian islands and Kodiak Island Alaska south to Baja California and Mexico. It is also found in the eastern north Atlantic, including Iceland, and in southern Australia. (1)

Habitat: Found most often on rocks and shells in the low intertidal down to the upper subtidal zones in moderately sheltered to fully exposed habitats. (2) It is also found in the kelp forests off the California coast. I found many specimens on docks around San Juan Island.