Biology
provided by Arkive
Although they may seem to be fixed to the rock, common limpets actually move around to graze on algae during moist conditions or when they are submerged by the tide. They return to the same spot by following the mucus trail that they deposit. This spot becomes worn by the edges of the shell, and eventually an obvious 'scar' in the rock is created. This helps the limpet to attach even more tenaciously to the rock, a strategy that protects it from desiccation (2).
Common limpets begin their life as males, becoming sexually mature at around 9 months of age. Most individuals undergo a sex change, typically becoming female at 2 or 3 years of age, although some remain as males (3). Spawning takes place once a year, usually from October to December, although the timing varies around the British Isles (2). Fertilisation occurs externally; the larvae spend their first few days of life in the water column, after which time they settle on the shore (2). Life-span varies, but is between 10 and 20 years (3).
In many areas, limpets have been collected as a food source for many centuries (3).
Conservation
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Conservation action has not been targeted at this species.
Description
provided by Arkive
The common limpet is a well-known seashore species (2). It has a conical shell, the outer surface of which is greyish-white. Shells situated higher up on the shore tend to have taller shells than those on the lower shore (3). The underside of the muscular 'foot' on which the limpet moves around is yellow, orange or brown and often has a green or greyish tint (3).
Habitat
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Attaches to firm substrates including rocks and stones from the high shore down to the edge of the sublittoral zone, a marine zone which reaches depths of around 200m (3).
Range
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Found on all coasts of Britain and Ireland. Its distribution extends from the Arctic Circle in the north to Portugal in the south (3).
Status
provided by Arkive
Common and widespread.
Threats
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Not currently threatened.
Brief Summary
provided by Ecomare
Limpets look like a cross between a pyramid and Super Mario's vicious mushrooms. They are often overlooked when attached to a stone and they move incredibly slowly. Limpets scrape vegetation off of the stones with their grating tongue. Should it feel threatened, it clamps itself to the rock. It closes the shell off practically air-tight, so that crabs and curious people can't get to them. You find limpets on floating objects from other coasts, such as on the base of sea thong.
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Patella vulgata
provided by wikipedia EN
Patella vulgata, common name the common limpet or common European limpet[2] is a species of sea snail. It is a typical true limpet; a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Patellidae, with gills.[1] This species occurs in the waters of Western Europe.
Radula
The radula in this species is longer than the shell itself. It contains 1,920 teeth in 160 rows of 12 teeth each. Patella vulgata is found attached to firm substrates from the high shore to the edge of the sublittoral zone, although it predominates in areas of wave action. Its shell is conical, up to around 6 cm long, and lacks defined chirality. Common limpets are believed to be able to live for up to twenty years.[3]
Patella vulgata has been the focus of a range of scientific investigation, as far back as 1935.[4] Its development is well described[5] and it has been the focus of transcriptomic investigation, providing a range of genomic sequence data in this species for analysis.[6]
Their teeth are the strongest natural material known. A study published in the Royal Society journal in 2015 concluded that "the tensile strength of limpet teeth can reach values significantly higher than spider silk, considered to be currently the strongest biological material, and only comparable to the strongest commercial carbon fibres.” The material was able to withstand 4.9 GPa. This considerable tensile strength of limpet teeth is attributed to a high mineral volume fraction of reinforcing goethite nanofibres.[7][8][9][10][11]
Human consumption
The common limpet was formerly eaten in Ireland, especially during times of hunger such as the Great Famine of 1845–50; it was known to be very tough and had to be thoroughly boiled or roasted to be edible.[12] One Irish proverb said that "Mussels are the food of kings, limpets are the food of peasants."[13] Tomas O'Crohan described eating them in his memoir The Islandman.[14] They are also consumed in Asturias in Spain under the name "Llampares"
See also
Gallery
Shells of the common limpet from Wales
Drawing of the soft body and underside of the shell of Patella vulgata; a) foot b) fringed mantle c) tentacles d) mouth e) eyes f) gills
Photograph of the soft body and underside
Radula of Patella vulgata; a) median teeth b) laterals c) uncini or marginals
Patella vulgata in its natural habitat.
References
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^ a b Gofas, S. (2014). Patella vulgata Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=140685 on 2014-10-29
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^ "Edible Molluscs Page 6". www.manandmollusc.net.
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^ "Limpets". BritishSeaFishing.co.uk. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
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^ Smith, F (1935). "The Development of Patella vulgata". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences. 225 (520): 95–125. doi:10.1098/rstb.1935.0008.
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^ Damen, Peter; Dictus, Wim J.A.G. (1994). "Cell Lineage of the Prototroch of Patella vulgata (Gastropoda, Mollusca)". Developmental Biology. 162 (2): 364–383. doi:10.1006/dbio.1994.1094. PMID 8150201.
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^ Werner, Gijsbert D. A.; Gemmell, Patrick; Grosser, Stefanie; Hamer, Rebecca; Shimeld, Sebastian M. (2013). "Analysis of a deep transcriptome from the mantle tissue of Patella vulgata Linnaeus (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Patellidae) reveals candidate biomineralising genes". Marine Biotechnology. 15 (2): 230–243. doi:10.1007/s10126-012-9481-0. PMID 22865210. S2CID 1836313.
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^ Asa H. Barber; Dun Lu & Nicola M. Pugno (2015). "Extreme strength observed in limpet teeth". Journal of the Royal Society Interface. Royal Society journal. 12 (105): 20141326. doi:10.1098/rsif.2014.1326. PMC 4387522. PMID 25694539.
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^ Webb, Jonathan. "Limpet teeth set new strength record" BBC News, 18 February 2015. Archived February 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
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^ "Sea Snail Teeth Top Spider Silk as Strongest Material on Earth". NBC News.
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^ "Limpet teeth 'strongest material ever'" – via www.bbc.com.
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^ "Limpet teeth rewrite record books" – via www.bbc.com.
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^ Enright, Damien (August 18, 2008). "Enjoying a tasty treat from the salty sea". Irish Examiner.
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^ "Slainte! Alive, Alive-Oh! | Irish America".
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^ Crohan, Tomás Ó (June 28, 1978). The Islandman. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-281233-9 – via Google Books.
- Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentius Salvius: Holmiae. ii, 824 pp.
- Lespinet, Nederbragt, Cassan, Dictus, Van Loon, et al. Characterisation of two snail genes in the gastropod mollusc Patella vulgata. Implications for understanding the ancestral function of the snail-related genes in Bilateria. 2002.
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Patella vulgata: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Patella vulgata, common name the common limpet or common European limpet is a species of sea snail. It is a typical true limpet; a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Patellidae, with gills. This species occurs in the waters of Western Europe.
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Distribution
provided by World Register of Marine Species
Al the specimens in the samples of the Belgian coasts were determined as P. vulgata , probably there are a few misidentifications: also present P. depressa and P. aspera .
Backeljau, T. (1986). Lijst van de recente mariene mollusken van België [List of the recent marine molluscs of Belgium]. Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen: Brussels, Belgium. 106 pp.
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