Limpet (Patella spp)

Latin name: Patella spp.
Common name: Limpet

Life-span: These limpets may live up to 16 years.

Habitat: They are specially adapted to the intertidal zone of rocky coasts.

Behaviour: Each animal maintains its own home base, to which it returns to after feeding excursions. On limestone, they actually erode an oval depression at the home site. They are the primary browsers of algal sporelings.

Size & texture: They have conical, rough, ribbed shells, whose apex lies towards the front of the animal rather than centrally.