Description
The limpet is very well adapted for the life in the inter tidal zone. The have
their own spot on a rock and feed on algae that they graze from the rocks. While
grazing they produce a slimy trail. When they have finished eating, they will
follow this trail back to their home spot. The limpet is a hermaphrodite and
every four years it will change sex. The fertilization takes place by releasing
eggs and sperm in the water at the same time. The larvae will settle to a rock,
few days after hatching and the reached a length of 0.2 mm. Their maximum age is
about 15 years.
Size
Maximum size 60 mm.
Colour
The shell is beige to light pink with a white bottom side. The mantle can vary
from light pink to orange, occasionally with dark spots.
Habitat
In the littoral zone.
Distribution
North eastern Atlantic from Norway to and including the Mediterranean.