Lottia Pelta Class: Gastropoda, Prosbranchia Order: Archeogastropoda, Patellacea the Shield, Or Helmet Limpet Family: Lottidae

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Phylum: Mollusca Lottia pelta Class: Gastropoda, Prosbranchia Order: Archeogastropoda, Patellacea The shield, or helmet limpet Family: Lottidae

Taxonomy: A major systematic revision of may be helpful in maintaining a seal around the northeastern Pacific limpet fauna was the edge of their feet on irregular surfaces undertaken by MacLean in 1966. Notoacmea (Smith 1991). was at first considered a subgenus and then Young: Some subadults (over 6 mm) with later a full genus (MacLean 1969). Collisella dark brown exterior, lustrous, smooth and with was synonymized with Lottia, and later fine radial sculpture, living on alga Egregia. Notoacmea was replaced with Tectura Interior light brown to gray, with postapical (Lindberg 2007). The current practice in The brown spot. (Lottia insessa, of which subadult Light and Smith Manual is to use only pelta is similar, is dark brown inside.) Acmaea and Lottia to describe Pacific Northwest species (Lindberg 2007). Possible Misidentifications Many species of limpets of the family Description Acmaeidae occur on our coast, but only about Size: 25mm (Brusca and Brusca 1978); can four are found in estuarine conditions. Lottia reach 40 mm farther north (Kozloff 1974b scutum (=Notoacmaea), which, like Lottia Yanes and Tyler 2009); illustrated specimen, pelta, have a horseshoe-shaped muscle scar 32.5 mm. on the shell interior, joined by a thin curved Color: Extremely variable dependent on line, and various coloration, but not pink- substrata (Sorensen and Lindberg 1991); rayed or white. These two genera differ in that called the brown and white shield limpet by L. pelta has a pair of uncini or teeth on the Ricketts (Ricketts and Calvin 1971); gray, radula (not figured), while L. scutum does not. slightly raised ribs with white, sometimes L. scutum also has significantly longer green, between them; some specimens cephalic tentacles (5.5mm) than Lottia without ribs, but with a checkered or striped (3.7mm) (Bros 1986) and are usually not as pattern. Slightly hooked apex eroded. heavily ribbed as Lottia species (Keen 1971). Shell Shape: Elevated, height usually greater Lottia scutum is also found only occasionally 1 than /3 length (Carlton and Roth1975); in bays, is thick shelled, and rather flat with surface with fine regular ribbing, anterior coarse lines quite like those of L. pelta. It has space straight or very slightly concave; apex a subcentral apex and a low elevation and is subcentral, very slightly directed anteriorly (fig often filmed with algae. 2); posterior slope slightly convex, nearly Lottia digitalis, the common fingered straight (Kozloff 1974a). Margin slightly limpet, differs from L. pelta in having an apex scalloped with contour intervals 1.11 mm on a very close to or even overhanging the anterior 3 cm individual, and when oriented anteriorly margin, which forms a strong hook; its upstream exhibits 40% reduction in drag at anterior slope is concave. This species has 1.6 m/s water velocity (Denny 1989). Exhibits strong raised ribs and a moderately scalloped several ecophenotypes or “morphs” based on edge; its rough ribs may show only on the its substrata and diet (Sorensen and Lindberg posterior slope. It occurs higher in the tidal 1991). May be fouled with a sabellid (Kuris range than does L. pelta. and Culver 1999). Lottia strigatella, once thought to be a Interior: Blue gray to white, with subapical hybrid of Lottia digitalis and L. pelta, has been brown spot (fig 3), and horseshoe-shaped found just inside Coos Bay. Like L. digitalis, it muscle scar joined by a thin, faint line (fig. 3) has a hooked apex near the anterior margin, (Keen and Coan 1974). Uses suction to and a slightly concave anterior slope. It is attach to substratum, as well as a glue that

A publication of the University of Oregon Libraries and the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Individual species: http://hdl.handle.net/1794/12906 and full 3rd edition: http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18839 Email corrections to: [email protected] a bay dwelling form of Lottia limatula, L. I. thereafter (Hadfield and Strathmann 1996). moerchii, has a higher elevation than the Active throughout year; spawns at sea usual form of that species. It has buff and temperatures of 48.5°-60°F (Fritchman 1962). dark mottling, or greenish brown with white Growth Rate: Probably grows faster than C. bands; its ribs are imbricated (set like tiles); its digitalis, to 30 mm in 3 years (Abbott and edges are serrated. It has not been found as Haderlie 1980). far north as Oregon. Longevity: Lottia persona is also found in bays. It is Food: They consume a variety of microscopic large, nocturnal and smooth. It has an and large algae, but especially common erect anterior hooked apex and is dark brown with algae (Abbott and Haderlie 1980); was shown white checked edges. to eat more of the red algae Mazzaella in Lottia pelta young can resemble the limpet shaded, warm conditions (Menge et al. 2002); Lottia insessa which lives only on the marine significantly reduce the crust thickness of alga Egregia. N. insessa adults are brown, coralline algae Lithophyllum impressum translucent and smooth. (See Young, above). (Steneck et al. 1991). Predators: Seastars: Pisaster ochraceus, for Ecological Information which it has developed an escape mechanism Range: Aleutian Islands to Punto Santo (Margolin 1964); few (2.4%) drilled by Tomas, Baja California (Ricketts and Calvin Nucella, to which L. pelta may be resistant at 1971). a certain size (14mm in elevation, 25 mm in Local Distribution: Coos Bay, South Slough length; Yanes and Tyler, 2009); black oyster and Cape Arago. catcher (Haematopus bachmani), whom has Habitat: On rocks (locally), also with various difficulty in visually predating L. pelta morphs algae (e.g. Laminaria, Egregia; Abbott and that match their substrate (Sorensen and Haderlie 1980) and in mussel beds (Carlton Lindberg 1991); experimental caged and Roth 1975); eurytopic; South Slough: on protection against bird depredation did not floats, under rocks. result in increased L. pelta abundance Salinity: Collected at 30. (Wootton, 1992); one laboratory feeding trial Tidal Level: Just below L. digitalis and N. reported 57% mortality due to predation by persona (Puget Sound) at 0.15 to 1.8 m (Tyler cancrid crabs (Tyler et al. 2014). et al. 2014); on rocks usually uncovered by Behavior: A small percentage exhibit homing the tide. On outer coast, upper-mid to lower behavior (Abbott and Haderlie 1980); do not mid-intertidal (Brusca and Brusca 1978). feed at all high tides and will only move and Associates: Lottia digitalis; in feed when submerged or wet by waves mussel/barnacle aggregations on pilings. With (Abbott and Haderlie. 1980). algae Egregia, Postelsia, Laminaria, and Endocladia. Bibliography Weight: 1. ABBOTT and HADERLIE. 1980. Abundance: Not common in bays; relatively Prosobranchia: Marine Snails. In: common on outer coast (Brusca and Brusca Intertidal invertebrates of California. R. 1978). H. Morris, D. P. Abbott, and E. C. Haderlie. Stanford University Press, Life History Information Stanford, California. Reproduction: Separate sexes; eggs rose 2. BROS, W. E. 1986. Mortality of the colored (Hadfield and Strathmann 1996) with limpets, Collisella pelta (Rathke) and sperm shed into sea. In lab, ova developed Notoacmea scutum (Rathke), as a into trochophore larvae 24 hours post-spawn, function of predation from the seastar, and after 3-4 days are capable of retracting Pisaster ochraceous (Brandt). Bulletin into their post-torsional shells; many settled of Marine Science. 39(1): 92-101. after 8 days and metamorphosed after 28 3. BRUSCA, G. J., and R. C. BRUSCA. (Hadfield and Strathmann 1996). Estimated 1978. A naturalist's seashore guide. pelagic period of 6-7 days in situ with a 3+ Mad River Press, Arcata, CA. week-long settlement phase following 4. CARLTON, J. T., and B. ROTH. 1975.

Knorek, Z. 2015. Lottia pelta. In: Oregon Estuarine Invertebrates: Rudys' Illustrated Guide to Common Species, 3rd ed. T.C. Hiebert, B.A. Butler and A.L. Shanks (eds.). University of Oregon Libraries and Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, Charleston, OR. Phylum Mollusca: Shelled Gastropods, Oregon. J. T. Carlton (ed.). University p. 467-514. In: Light's manual; of California Press, Berkeley. intertidal invertebrates of the central 14. MACLEAN, J.H. 1966. West California coast. S. F. Light, R. I. American prosobranch Gastropoda: Smith, and J. T. Carlton (eds.). super families Patellacea, University of California Press, Pleurotomariacea, Fissurellacea. Berkeley. Ph.D. Dissertation, Biology, Stanford 5. DENNY, M. W. 1989. A limpet shell University. shape that reduces drag: laboratory 15. MACLEAN, J.H. 1966. Marine shells demonstration of a hydrodynamic of southern California. Los Angeles mechanism and an exploration of its County Museum of Natural History, effectiveness in nature. Canadian Science Series 24, Zoology 11. Journal of Zoolgy. 67: 2098-2106. 16. MENGE, B. A., A. M. OLSON, and E. 6. FRITCHMAN, H. K. 1962. A study of P. DAHLHOFF. 2002. Environmental the reproductive cycles in the stress, bottom-up effects, and California Acmaeidae (Gastropoda). community dynamics: Integrating The Veliger. 4:134-140. molecular-physiological and ecological 7. HADFIELD, M. G. and M. F. approaches. Integrative and STRATHMANN. 1996. Variability, Comparative Biology. 42: 892-908. flexibility and plasticity in life histories 17. RICKETTS, E. F., and J. CALVIN. of marine invertebrates. Oceanologica 1971. Between Pacific tides. Stanford Acta. 19: 323-334. University Press, Stanford, California. 8. KEEN, A. M. 1971. Sea shells of 18. SMITH, A. M. 1991. The role of tropical west America; marine suction in the adhesion of limpets. mollusks from Baja California to Peru. Journal of Experimental Biology. 161: Stanford University Press, Stanford. 151-169. 9. KEEN, A. M., and E. COAN. 1974. 19. SORENSEN, F. E. and D. R. Marine molluscan genera of Western LINDBERG. 1991. Preferential North America: An illustrated key. predation by American black Stanford University Press, Stanford, oystercatchers on transitional California. ecophenotypes of the limpet Lottia 10. KOZLOFF, E. N. 1974a. Keys to the pelta (Rathke). Journal of marine invertebrates of Puget Sound, Experimental Marine Biology and the San Juan Archipelago, and Ecology. 154:123-136. adjacent regions. University of 20. STENEK, R. S., S. D. HACKER, and Washington Press, Seattle & London. M. N. DETHIER. 1991. Mechanisms of 11. ——.1974b. Seashore life of Puget competitive dominance between Sound, the Strait of Georgia, and the crustose coralline algae: An herbivore- San Juan Archipelago. University of mediated competitive reversal. Washington Press, Seattle & London. Ecology. 72: 938-950. 12. KURIS, A. M and C. S. CULVER. 21. TYLER, C. L., L. R. LEIGHTON, and 1999. An introduced sabellid M. KOWALEWSKI. 2014. The effects polychaete pest infesting cultured of limpet morphology on predation by abalones and its potential spread to adult cancrid crabs. Journal of other California gastropods. Experimental Marine Biology and Invertebrate Biology. 118: 391- Ecology. 451: 9-15. 403MARGOLIN, A. S. 1964. A running 22. WOOTON, J. T. 1992. Indirect effects, response of Acmaea to seastars. prey susceptibility, and habitat Ecology. 45:191-193. selection: Impacts of birds on limpets 13. LINDBERG, D.R. 2007. and algae. Ecology. 73: 981-991. Patellogastropoda, p. 753-761. In: The 23. YANES, Y. and C. L. TYLER. 2009. Light and Smith Manual: intertidal Drilling predation intensity and feeding invertebrates from central California to preferences of Nucella (Murcidae) on