Limpets.(also known as Patella sp.)
Four Patella vulgata limpets in their natural habitat (here northwestern Galicia). One animal was separated from the rock and turned over to show the underside and muscular foot.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Order: Patellogastropoda Lindberg, 1986
Suborders and families
See text. Download high resolution version (1024x1024, 313 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Galicia (Spain) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Classes Caudofoveata Aplacophora Polyplacophora Monoplacophora Bivalvia Scaphopoda Gastropoda Cephalopoda † Rostroconchia † Helcionelloida † ?Bellerophontida The molluscs (British spelling) or mollusks (American spelling) are members of the very large and diverse phylum Mollusca. ... Subclasses Eogastropoda (True Limpets and relatives) Orthogastropoda The gastropods, also previously known as gasteropods, or univalves, and more commonly known as snails and slugs, are the largest and most successful class of mollusks, with 60,000-75,000 known living species. ... David R. Lindberg is an American malacologist and professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley. ...

Limpet is a common name used for many kinds of mostly saltwater but also freshwater snails, specifically those that have a simple shell which is more or less broadly conical in shape, and which is either not coiled, or appears not to be coiled, in the adult snail. In science, a common name is any name by which a species or other concept is known that is not the official scientific name. ... For other uses, see Snail (disambiguation). ... Shell of Zonitoides nitidus has dextral coiling. ...

Thus the word "limpet" is an inexact name which is fairly often used as part of the common name of a wide variety of different marine and freshwater gastropod species, some of which have gills and some of which have a lung. The name is given on the basis of a limpet-like or "patelliform" shell, but the several groups of snails which have such a shell are not at all closely related to one another. In science, a common name is any name by which a species or other concept is known that is not the official scientific name. ... Marine is an umbrella term for things relating to the ocean, as with marine biology, marine geology, and as a term for a navy, etc. ... Subclass Subclass Eogastropoda     Patellogastropoda Subclass Orthogastropoda   Superorder Cocculiniformia   Superorder Hot Vent Taxa     Neomphaolida   Superorder Vetigastropoda   Superorder Neritaemorphi     Neritopsina   Superorder Caenogastropoda     Architaenioglossa     Sorbeoconcha   Superorder Heterobranchia     Heterostropha     Opisthobranchia     Pulmonata The gastropods, or univalves, are the largest and most successful class of mollusks, with 60,000-75,000 species, and second largest class... For other uses, see Species (disambiguation). ...

The phrase "true limpets" is used only for marine limpets in the ancient order Patellogastropoda, in the subclass Eogastropoda. In the latest taxonomy the Patellogastropoda have become an unranked taxon as a separate clade including : Marine is an umbrella term for things relating to the ocean, as with marine biology, marine geology, and as a term for a navy, etc. ... Suborders Lepetopsina Nacellina Patellina Docoglossa, also known as Patellogastropoda, is an order of the class Gastropoda, and includes the true limpets. Categories: | ... Orders Docoglossa Eogastropoda is a subclass of the class Gastropoda, which includes the limpets. ... A taxon (plural taxa), or taxonomic unit, is a grouping of organisms (named or unnamed). ... A clade is a term belonging to the discipline of cladistics. ...

• Superfamily Patelloidea
  • Family Patellidae
• Superfamily Nacelloidea
  • Family Nacellidae
• Superfamily Lottioidea
  • Family Lottiidae
  • Family Acmaeidae
  • Family Lepetidae
• Superfamily Neolepetopsoidea
  • Family Neolepetopsidae
  • † Family Daminilidae
  • † Family Lepetopsidae

As well as being applied to true limpets, the common name "limpet" is also used for many widely different snails in the subclass Orthogastropoda, including: Genera See text. ... Genera See text. ... Genera See text. ... Infraclasses Apogastropoda Cocculiniformia Murchisoniina Neritopsina Vetigastropoda In their work, which has become a standard reference in the field, Ponder and Lindberg (1997) showed that the Orthogastropoda is one of two subclasses of the Gastropoda the class of molluscs, the other subclass being the Eogastropoda. ...

Marine limpets:

• The keyhole limpets - Fissurellidae
• The slipper limpets or slipper shells - Calyptraeidae
• The hoof limpets - Hipponix

• The opisthobranch notaspidean limpets such as Tylodina and Umbraculum

• The pulmonate false limpets - Siphonaria

Freshwater limpets: Suborders Systellommatophora Basommatophora Eupulmonata The Pulmonata are an order (once a subclass) of snails and slugs that have developed a pallial lung and thus can breathe air. ...

• The pulmonate river and lake limpets - Ancylidae and Acroloxidae

Most of the marine limpets have gills, whereas all the freshwater limpets and a few of the marine limpets have a mantle cavity which is adapted to breathe air and function as a lung; all these various kinds of snail are only very distantly related. In other words, the name limpet is used to describe various extremely diverse groups of gastropods which have independently evolved a shell of the same basic shape, see convergent evolution. For other uses, see Gill (disambiguation). ... The mantle is an organ found in mollusks. ... Human respiratory system The lungs flank the heart and great vessels in the chest cavity. ... Subclass Subclass Eogastropoda     Patellogastropoda Subclass Orthogastropoda   Superorder Cocculiniformia   Superorder Hot Vent Taxa     Neomphaolida   Superorder Vetigastropoda   Superorder Neritaemorphi     Neritopsina   Superorder Caenogastropoda     Architaenioglossa     Sorbeoconcha   Superorder Heterobranchia     Heterostropha     Opisthobranchia     Pulmonata The gastropods, or univalves, are the largest and most successful class of mollusks, with 60,000-75,000 species, and second largest class... In evolutionary biology, convergent evolution is the process whereby organisms not closely related, independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches. ...

This article is specifically about "True limpets", which are marine gastropod mollusks in the order Patellogastropoda, for example, species such as Patella vulgata. Marine is an umbrella term for things relating to the ocean, as with marine biology, marine geology, and as a term for a navy, etc. ... Subclass Subclass Eogastropoda     Patellogastropoda Subclass Orthogastropoda   Superorder Cocculiniformia   Superorder Hot Vent Taxa     Neomphaolida   Superorder Vetigastropoda   Superorder Neritaemorphi     Neritopsina   Superorder Caenogastropoda     Architaenioglossa     Sorbeoconcha   Superorder Heterobranchia     Heterostropha     Opisthobranchia     Pulmonata The gastropods, or univalves, are the largest and most successful class of mollusks, with 60,000-75,000 species, and second largest class... Classes Caudofoveata Aplacophora Polyplacophora Monoplacophora Bivalvia Scaphopoda Gastropoda Cephalopoda † Rostroconchia The mollusks or molluscs are the large and diverse phylum Mollusca, which includes a variety of familiar creatures well-known for their decorative shells or as seafood. ...

Introduction to true limpets

Limpets have flattened, cone-shaped shells, and the majority of species are commonly found adhering strongly to rocks or other hard substrates, looking like little bumps on the surface. Many limpet shells are often covered in microscopic growths of green marine algae, which can make them even harder to see, as they can closely resemble the rock surface itself. Shell of Zonitoides nitidus has dextral coiling. ... Stream substrate (sediment) is the material that rests at the bottom of a stream. ...

The majority of limpet species have shells that are less than 3 in (8 cm) in maximum length and many are much smaller than that. An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... A centimetre (American spelling centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of length that is equal to one hundredth of a metre, the current SI base unit of length. ...

Until quite recently a west Mexican limpet species, the giant limpet, Patella (Ancistromesus) mexicana, was known to grow as large as 8 in (20 cm). This species is now in serious danger of extinction, as it is slow to reach maturity, and has suffered from overcollecting, both as a food item, and by shell collectors and dealers.

Distribution

Representatives from the order Patellogastropoda, the true limpets, live on the rocky coasts of all oceans world-wide. In scientific classification used in biology, the order (Latin: ordo, plural ordines) is a rank between class and family (termed a taxon at that rank). ...

Habitat

Various different species live throughout the intertidal zone, from the high zone (upper littoral zone) to the shallow subtidal. A rock, seen at low tide, exhibiting typical intertidal zonation. ... A littoral is the region near the shoreline of a body of fresh or salt water. ...

They attach themselves to the substrate using pedal mucus and a muscular "foot". They locomote using wave-like muscular contractions of the foot when conditions are suitable for them to graze. They can also "clamp down" against the rock surface with very considerable force when necessary, and this ability enables them to remain safely attached, despite the dangerous wave action on exposed rocky shores. The ability to clamp down also seals the shell edge against the rock surface, protecting them from desiccation during low tide, despite their being in full sunlight. Mucus cells. ... Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. ...

When true limpets are fully clamped down, it is impossible to remove them from the rock using brute force alone, and the limpet will allow itself to be destroyed rather than stop clinging to its rock. This survival strategy has led to the limpet being used as a metaphor for obstinacy or stubbornness. This article is about metaphor in literature and rhetoric. ...

Life habits

Feeding

Most limpets feed by grazing on algae which grows on the rock (or other surfaces) where they live. They scrape up films of algae with a radula, a ribbon-like tongue with rows of teeth. Limpets move by rippling the muscles of their foot in a wave-like motion. Osborne (talk) 20:17, 5 December 2007 (UTC):For the programming language, see algae (programming language) Laurencia, a marine red alga from Hawaii. ... Transverse view of the buccal cavity with the radula Radula types chart. ...

In some parts of the world, certain smaller species of true limpet are specialized to live on seagrasses and graze on the microscopic algae which grow there. Other species live on, and graze directly on, the stipes (stalks) of brown algae (kelp). Seagrass from the coast of Florida Sea grass (or sea-grass in British English) are flowering plants from four plant families (Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Hydrocharitaceae, and Cymodoceaceae) that grow in the marine saline environment. ... Families Alariaceae Chordaceae Laminariaceae Lessoniaceae Phyllariaceae Pseudochordaceae Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ...

Homing behaviour

Limpet shell

Limpets in the intertidal of Cornwall, England.

Common limpets in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Some species of limpets return to the same spot on the rock known as a "home scar" just before the tide recedes.^[1] In such species, the shape of their shell often grows to precisely match the contours of the rock surrounding the scar. This behaviour presumably allows them to form a better seal to the rock and may help protect from either predation or desiccation. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (900 × 675 pixel, file size: 51 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (900 × 675 pixel, file size: 51 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2500 × 1875 pixel, file size: 820 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Photograph taken by Mark A. Wilson (Department of Geology, The College of Wooster). ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2500 × 1875 pixel, file size: 820 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Photograph taken by Mark A. Wilson (Department of Geology, The College of Wooster). ... For other uses, see Cornwall (disambiguation). ... Pembrokeshire (Welsh: ) is a county in the southwest of Wales in the United Kingdom. ...

It is still unclear how limpets find their way back to the same spot each time, but it is thought that they follow pheromones in the mucus left as they move. Other species, notably Lottia gigantea seem to "garden" a patch of algae around their home scar ^[2]. They are one of the few invertebrates to exhibit territoriality and will aggressively push other organisms out of this patch by ramming with their shell, thereby allowing their patch of algae to grow for their own grazing. Also, where the limpets eat the algae off bare rocks, it creates places where other organisms can grow and thrive. In ethology, sociobiology and behavioral ecology, the term territory refers to any geographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics (and, occasionally, animals of other species). ...

Predators and other risks

Limpets are preyed upon by a variety of organisms including starfish, shore-birds, fish, seals, and humans. Limpets exhibit a variety of defenses, such as fleeing or clamping their shells against the substratum. The defense response can be determined by the type of predator, which can often be detected chemically by the limpet. Orders Forcipulatida Paxillosida Notomyotida Spinulosida Valvatida Velatida Brisingida Starfish redirects here. ...

Limpets can be long lived, with tagged specimens surviving for more than 10 years. If the limpet lives on bare rock, it grows at a slower rate but can live for up to 20 years.^{[citation needed]}

Limpets found on exposed shores, which have fewer rock pools than sheltered shores and are thus in less frequent contact with water, have a greater risk of desiccation due to the effects of increased sunlight, water evaporation and the increased wind speed. To avoid drying out they will clamp to the rock they inhabit, minimizing water-loss from the rim around their base. As this occurs chemicals are released that promote the vertical growth of the limpet's shell. Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. ...

Reproduction

Spawning occurs once a year, usually during winter, and is triggered by rough seas which disperse the eggs and sperm. Larvae are pelagic for a couple of weeks before settling onto a hard substrate.^[1] The pelagic zone is the part of the open sea or ocean comprising the water column, i. ...

Human use

Larger limpet species are, or were historically, cooked and eaten in many different parts of the world, for example: in Hawaii, limpets (Cellana species) are commonly known as ‘opihi,^[3] and are considered a delicacy and the meat sells for $30-40 a pound ( 454g).. In Portugal, limpets are known as lapas and are also considered to be a delicacy. This article is about the U.S. State. ...

Taxonomy of the true limpets, clade Patellogastropoda

• Superfamily Neolepetopsoidea McLean, 1990
  • Family Neolepetopsidae McLean, 1990
  • Family † Damilinidae Horny, 1961
  • Family † Lepetopsidae Mclean, 1990

• Superfamily Lottiodea Gray, 1840
  • Family Acmaeidae Forbes, 1850
    • Subfamily Acmaeinae Forbes, 1850
      • Genus Acmaea
      • Genus Notoacmea
    • Subfamily Pectinodontinae Pilbry, 1891
      • Genus Pectinodonta
      • Genus Problacmaea
    • Subfamily Rhodopetalinae Lindberg, 1981
      • Genus Rhodopetala
  • Family Lepetidae Gray, 1850
    • Subfamily Lepetinae Gray, 1850
      • Genus Bathylepeta Moskalay, 1977
      • Genus Cryptobranchia Middendorff, 1851
      • Genus Iothia Forbes, 1849
      • Genus Lepeta J. E. Gray, 1842
      • Genus Limalepta Moskalev, 1978
      • Genus Maoricrater Dell, 1956
      • Genus Notocrater (Suter, 1908)
    • Subfamily Propilidiinae Thiele, 1891
      • Genus Propilidium Forbes and Hanley, 1849
      • Genus Sagamilepeta Okutani, 1987
  • Family Lottiidae Gray, 1840
    • • Genus Collosella
      • Genus Discurria
      • Genus Erginus
    • Subfamily Lottinae Gray, 1840
      • Tribe Lottiini Gray, 1840 (synonym : Tecturidae Gray, 1840 )
        • Genus Lottia Gray, 1833
          • Lottia gigantea Sowerby, 1834
          • †Lottia alveus, Eelgrass limpet
        • Genus Niveotectura
        • Genus Tectura
      • Tribe Scurriini Lindberg, 1988
        • Genus Scurria
    • Subfamily Patelloidinae Chapman & Gabriel, 1923
      • Genus Patelloida
      • Genus Potamacmaea
      • Genus Radiacmea

• Superfamily Nacelloidea
  • • Family Nacellidae
      • Genus Macklintockia
      • Genus Naccula
      • Genus Nacella
        • • Nacella kerguelenensis (E. A. Smith, 1877
          • Nacella macquariensis Finlay, 1927
          • Nacella terroris (Filhol, 1880)

• Superfamily Patelloidea
  • Family Patellidae
    • Genus Cellana
      • • Cellana ampla
        • Cellana ardosioea Hombron & Jacquinot, 1841
        • Cellana capensis Gmelin, 1791
        • Cellana craticulata Suter, 1905
        • Cellana conciliata Rainbow limpet
        • Cellana denticulata Martyn, 1784
        • Cellana eucosmia Pilsbry, 1891
        • Cellana exarata Hawaiian blackfoot ‘opihi
        • Cellana flava Hutton, 1873
        • Cellana grata Gould, 1859
        • Cellana melanostoma Pilsbry, 1891
        • Cellana nigrolineata Reeve, 1854
        • Cellana ornata Dillwyn, 1817
        • Cellana radians (Gmelin, 1791)
        • Cellana rota
        • Cellana sandwicensis
        • Cellana stellifera Gmelin, 1791
        • Cellana strigilis Powell , 1955
        • Cellana strigilis strigilis Hombron & Jacquinot, 1841
        • Cellana strigilis bollonsi Powell, 1955
        • Cellana strigilis chathanensis (Pilsbry, 1891)
        • Cellana strigilis flemingi Powell, 1955
        • Cellana strigilis oliveri Powell, 1955
        • Cellana strigilis redimiculum (Reeve, 1854)
        • Cellana talcosa Gould, 1846
        • Cellana testudinaria Linnaeus, 1758
        • Cellana toreuma Reeve, 1855
        • Cellana tramoserica Holten, 1802
    • Genus Helcion
      • Subgenus Ansates
        • Helcion pellucidum, see Blue-rayed limpet
        • Helcion tella
      • Subgenus Helcion
        • Helcion pectunculus
      • Subgenus Patinastra
        • Helcion dunkeri
        • Helcion pruinosus
    • Genus Helioniscus
      • • Helcion tella
    • Genus Patella
      • Subgenus Olana
        • Patella cochlear
      • Subgenus Patella
        • Patella baudonii
        • Patella caerulea
        • Patella candei
        • Patella (candei) gomesii
        • Patella compressa
        • Patella depressa
        • Patella ferruginea
        • Patella lowei
        • Patella miniata
        • Patella moreleti
        • Patella piperata
        • Patella rustica
        • Patella ulyssiponensis
        • Patella variabilis
        • Patella vulgata
        • Patella granularis
        • Patella adansonii
        • Patella canescens
        • Patella granatina
        • Patella lugubris
        • Patella oculus
        • Patella plumbea
        • Patella argenvillei
        • Patella barbara
        • Patella chapmani
        • Patella exusta
        • Patella flexuosa
        • Patella kermadecensis
        • Patella laticostata
        • Patella longicosta
        • Patella peronii
        • Patella tabularis
        • Patella tucopiana
    • Genus Rhodopetala
      • • Rhodopetala rosea

Genera See text. ... Richard Kenneth Dell (July 11, 1920 - March 6, 2002) was a New Zealand malacologist. ... In Greek mythology, Erginus was a Boeotian king and father of Trophonius and Agamedes. ... Suborders See text. ... Binomial name The Eelgrass limpet, Lottia alveus, was a small marine gastropod which, up until the early 20th century, was apparently quite easy to find in eelgrass beds in many sheltered localities on the northeastern seaboard of North America. ... Binomial name Eelgrass Limpet, Lottia alveus is an extinct marine gastropod. ... Genera See text. ... Binomial name (Smith, 1877) Nacella kerguelenensis is a limpet gastropod mollusc of the family Nacellidae, endemic to Australias sub-Antarctic Macquarie, Heard, and McDonald islands, and Frances Kerguélen Islands. ... Binomial name Gray, 1843 Nacella macquariensis is a limpet gastropod mollusc of the family Nacellidae, endemic to Australia. ... Binomial name (Filhol, 1880) Nacella terroris is a limpet gastropod mollusc of the family Nacellidae, endemic to New Zealand. ... Genera See text. ... Species See text. ... Johann Friedrich Gmelin (August 8, 1748 - November 1, 1804) was a German naturalist and botanist. ... Binomial name (Martyn, 1784) Synonyms Patella denticulata Martyn, 1784 Cellana denticulata, or the denticulate limpet, is a species of limpet gastropod mollusc of the family Patellidae, endemic to the North Island and the northern half of the South Island of New Zealand. ... Binomial name (Martyn, 1784) Synonyms Patella flava Hutton, 1873 Helcioniscus radians flavus Suter, 1913 Cellana flava is a species of limpet gastropod mollusc of the family Patellidae, endemic to New Zealand. ... Binomial name (Dillwyn, 1817) Cellana ornata is a species of limpet gastropod mollusc of the family Patellidae, endemic to New Zealand, commonly found from mid to low tide in both sheltered and exposed situations. ... Binomial name (Gmelin, 1791) Synonyms Patella radians Gmelin, 1791 Patella argentea Quoy and Gaimard, 1834 Patella earlii Reeve, 1855 Helcioniscus radians Suter, 1913 Cellana radians, or the golden limpet, is a species of limpet gastropod mollusc of the family Patellidae, endemic to New Zealand, very commonly found in the intertidal... Johann Friedrich Gmelin (August 8, 1748 - November 1, 1804) was a German naturalist and botanist. ... Binomial name (Gmelin, 1791) Synonyms Patella stellifera Gmelin, 1791 Helcioniscus stellifera phymatius Suter, 1905 Cellana stellifera, or the star limpet, is a species of limpet gastropod mollusc of the family Patellidae, endemic to the North Island and the northern half of the South Island of New Zealand. ... Johann Friedrich Gmelin (August 8, 1748 - November 1, 1804) was a German naturalist and botanist. ... Dr Arthur William Baden Powell CBE (4 April 1901 - 1 July 1987) was a New Zealand malacologist, naturalist and palaeontologist, a major influence in the study and classification of New Zealand molluscs through much of the twentieth century. ... Trinomial name Cellana strigilis strigilis Hombron & Jacquinot, 1841 Cellana strigilis strigilis is a subspecies of limpet gastropod mollusc of the family Patellidae, endemic to New Zealands sub-Antarctic Auckland and Campbell islands. ... Dr Arthur William Baden Powell CBE (4 April 1901 - 1 July 1987) was a New Zealand malacologist, naturalist and palaeontologist, a major influence in the study and classification of New Zealand molluscs through much of the twentieth century. ... Dr Arthur William Baden Powell CBE (4 April 1901 - 1 July 1987) was a New Zealand malacologist, naturalist and palaeontologist, a major influence in the study and classification of New Zealand molluscs through much of the twentieth century. ... Dr Arthur William Baden Powell CBE (4 April 1901 - 1 July 1987) was a New Zealand malacologist, naturalist and palaeontologist, a major influence in the study and classification of New Zealand molluscs through much of the twentieth century. ... Trinomial name Cellana strigilis redimiculum (Reeve, 1854) Cellana strigilis redimiculum is a subspecies of limpet gastropod mollusc of the family Patellidae, endemic to the South Island of New Zealand south of Kaikoura. ... A painting of Carolus Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as Carl von Linné, and who wrote under the Latinized name Carolus Linnaeus (May 23, 1707 – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish scientist who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of taxonomy. ...

References

For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Hana Hou! is an American bi-monthly English language inflight magazine[1] published for Hawaiian Airlines by Honolulu-based Pacific Travelogue Inc. ...

External links

• University of Hawaii Educational page from Christopher F. Bird, Dep't of Botany. Photos and detailed information distinguishing the different varieties.
• Acmaeidae at the NCBI taxonmy website