Animal Profiles
Molluscs

Limpet

Gastropoda

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

Limpets include several groups of marine snails. This account describes the common limpet (Patella vulgata), a familiar grazer on northeastern Atlantic rocky shores.

Common limpet shells (Patella vulgata) on a rocky shore in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Common limpet shells (Patella vulgata) on a rocky shore in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Tango22 · CC BY-SA

At a glance

Location
Common limpets occupy rocky coasts around Britain, Ireland and nearby northeastern Atlantic regions.
Habitat
Coast
Diet
Herbivore
Food
The feeding apparatus scrapes algae and other small growth from surfaces.

Classification

Common name
Limpet
Browse group
Molluscs
Scientific name or taxon
Gastropoda
Taxon rank
class
Source classification
Gastropoda

Taxonomy checked against GBIF. For breeds and hybrids, this describes the listed parent taxon.

Three things to know

  • A muscular foot grips rock.
  • It grazes surface growth.
  • Its shell is conical.

Habitat and range

Common limpets occupy rocky coasts around Britain, Ireland and nearby northeastern Atlantic regions. Their firm attachment helps them endure waves and exposure between tides.

Appearance and adaptations

A low conical shell covers a broad muscular foot. Shell shape and height vary with the place where the animal grows and the conditions it experiences.

Diet and behaviour

The feeding apparatus scrapes algae and other small growth from surfaces. Animals move out to graze when conditions permit and can return to a familiar resting place on the rock.

Sources

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