Limpet is the common name for small intertidal gastropods (Phylum Mollusca) that have an oval, cone-shaped shell. There are at least 32 species of limpets in the Pacific Northwest from 17 different genera. The two most common genera in the Pacific Northwest are Lottia spp. and Tectura spp.
Description:
The shell of a limpet looks like a sloped mountain, when viewed from the side. The shell can grow to 7 cm in length and 2.5 cm in height, depending upon the species. The shell colour is typically brown or grey with white spots or rays; however, some species can be white or pink. Some shells are covered with a film of microalgae, giving the shell a greenish tinge.
Protected by the shell is a soft body. They have a poorly developed head that has a mouth, one pair of tentacles, and one pair of eyes located at the base of the tentacles. The tentacles can detect chemicals in the environment and can also be used for touch. The eyes can only detect changes in light intensity.
Like all gastropods, limpets also have a large muscular foot that uses wave-like contractions to move the animal along the substratum. Mucous produced by a glad coats the bottom of the foot and eases movement across rough surfaces. The foot can also form suction to hold the animal in place to resist the force of waves.
Protected by the shell is a soft body. They have a poorly developed head that has a mouth, one pair of tentacles, and one pair of eyes located at the base of the tentacles. The tentacles can detect chemicals in the environment and can also be used for touch. The eyes can only detect changes in light intensity.
Like all gastropods, limpets also have a large muscular foot that uses wave-like contractions to move the animal along the substratum. Mucous produced by a glad coats the bottom of the foot and eases movement across rough surfaces. The foot can also form suction to hold the animal in place to resist the force of waves.
Ecology:
Limpets live on rocky coasts of all oceans around the world. Most of the species found on our coast have a range that extends from Alaska to California. They can be found from the high intertidal to the shallow subtidal zone.
During high tide, limpets move across the substratum and scrape algae off the surface using a radula, which is a ribbon-like tongue with rows of very sharp teeth. These teeth are made of the strongest known biological material - it is even stronger than spider silk!
During low tide, limpets take shelter under rocks and ledges and in deep cracks and crevices. Just before the tide recedes, some limpets return to the exact same spot on a rock known as the "home scar". When they grow their shell, limpets release a "liquid shell" that hardens with time. As a result, the edges of their shell matches the contours of the rock in their home scar. Limpets also protect themselves from desiccation and predators such as sea stars, predatory snails, shore-birds, fishes, and mammals. Other defenses from predators include escape crawling, camouflage and defensive chemicals.
During high tide, limpets move across the substratum and scrape algae off the surface using a radula, which is a ribbon-like tongue with rows of very sharp teeth. These teeth are made of the strongest known biological material - it is even stronger than spider silk!
During low tide, limpets take shelter under rocks and ledges and in deep cracks and crevices. Just before the tide recedes, some limpets return to the exact same spot on a rock known as the "home scar". When they grow their shell, limpets release a "liquid shell" that hardens with time. As a result, the edges of their shell matches the contours of the rock in their home scar. Limpets also protect themselves from desiccation and predators such as sea stars, predatory snails, shore-birds, fishes, and mammals. Other defenses from predators include escape crawling, camouflage and defensive chemicals.
Life History:
Limpets can live more than 10 years. They reproduce once per year, during the winter, when males and females release sperm and eggs into the water. Fertilized eggs develop into pelagic larvae that float with the water before settling to the substratum and developing into adults.
To learn more:
Available through: https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/handle/1794/12938