Diodora aspera | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Vetigastropoda |
Superfamily: | Fissurelloidea |
Family: | Fissurellidae |
Genus: | Diodora |
Species: | D. aspera |
Binomial name | |
Diodora aspera (Rathke, 1833) | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Diodora aspera, also known as the rough keyhole limpet, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets. [1] Although similar in appearance to a common limpet, it has a hole near the apex of its shell, and is only distantly related. It often has a scaled polychaete worm Arctonoe vittata living inside its shell as a commensal. In the event that it is attacked by a starfish, it extends flaps of mantle to defend itself, and the worm also helps drive the predator away.
Diodora aspera has a cone-shaped shell growing to a length of about 7 cm (2.8 in). Near the apex is an aperture about one tenth of the length of the shell, which is used for respiration and the elimination of waste. There is a broad foot which exerts suction on the rock surface, and the mantle is large enough to cover the margin of the shell. The surface of the shell is sculptured with coarse ribs and is usually greyish-brown or grey, often with dark and pale radiating bands of colour. [2] The margin of the shell is crenulate and the interior is white. [3]
This species is native to the northeastern Pacific Ocean from Alaska to Mexico. It occurs in the lower part of the intertidal zone and the shallow sub-littoral, down to about 12 m (40 ft). It typically clings to the lower part and underside of rocks, but is sometimes found on the holdfasts and stalks of kelp. When the tide is out and it is exposed, it tends to always attach itself to the same spot, where its shell neatly fits the contours of the rock. [4]
When the tide comes in, this keyhole limpet crawls around, scraping bryozoans and algae off the rock surface with its radula. Certain species of sponges are also consumed. The sexes are separate and individuals with ripe gonads occur throughout the year. The eggs and sperm are shed into the sea where fertilisation takes place, and the larvae settle on the sea bed. [3]
This keyhole limpet is host to the ectoparasitic copepod Anthessius nortoni . [1] The scaled polychaete worm Arctonoe vittata acts as a commensal to D. aspera, living between the foot and the shell. This worm is relatively large, growing to a length of up to 10 cm (4 in), and may need to bend in order to fit. The worm is a predator, but does not attack its host, instead searching for prey to target as the limpet moves around. It is however willing to defend its host if a predacious starfish approaches, by biting at its tube feet. [5]
The keyhole limpet is also able to defend itself against attacks by starfish. On the approach of certain species of starfish, it swiftly extends and folds its mantle upwards to cover the shell, while another flap of mantle descends to cover the foot. At the same time, the inhalent syphon is extended through the aperture and covers the apex of the shell. As a result of these defensive actions, the starfish is unable to get a grip on the limpet shell with its tube feet; it is also possible that there is some chemical deterrent present in the mantle. At any rate, the starfish desists, and the limpet lowers its mantle after about twenty minutes. Not all starfish elicit this response, which is likely to be mediated by some chemical cue. [6]
The gumboot chiton also known as the giant western fiery chiton, is the largest of the chitons, growing to 36 cm (14 in) and over 2 kg (4.4 lb). It is found along the shores of the northern Pacific Ocean from Central California to Alaska, across the Aleutian Islands to the Kamchatka Peninsula and south to Japan. It inhabits the lower intertidal and subtidal zones of rocky coastlines.
The Patellogastropoda, common name true limpets and historically called the Docoglossa, are members of a major phylogenetic group of marine gastropods, treated by experts either as a clade or as a taxonomic order.
Fissurellidae, common name the keyhole limpets and slit limpets, is a taxonomic family of limpet-like sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Vetigastropoda. Their common name derives from the small hole in the apex of their cone-like shells. Although superficially resembling "true" limpets, they are in fact not closely related to them.
Diodora cayenensis, the Cayenne keyhole limpet, is a species of small to medium-sized sea snail or limpet, a western Atlantic marine prosobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets.
Seashore wildlife habitats exist from the Tropics to the Arctic and Antarctic. Seashores and beaches provide varied habitats in different parts of the world, and even within the same beach. Phytoplankton is at the bottom of some food chains, while zooplankton and other organisms eat phytoplankton. Kelp is also autotrophic and at the bottom of many food chains. Coastal areas are stressed through rapid changes, for example due to tides.
Diodora graeca, the Greek keyhole limpet, is a sea snail or limpet, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets.
Diodora italica, the keyhole limpet or Italian keyhole limpet, is a sea snail or limpet, a marine prosobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets.
Diodora arcuata, common name the arcuate limpet, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets.
Diodora dysoni, common name Dyson's keyhole limpet, is a species of small sea snail or limpet, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets.
Diodora fluviana is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets.
Emarginula fissura, the common slit limpet, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets.
Medusafissurella is a genus of minute deepwater keyhole limpets, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
The leather star is a sea star in the family Asteropseidae found at depths to 100 m (328 ft) off the western seaboard of North America. It was first described to science by Adolph Eduard Grube in 1857.
Evasterias troschelii is a species of starfish in the family Asteriidae. Its common names include the mottled star, false ochre sea star and Troschel's true star. It is found in Kamchatka and the north western coast of North America.
Anasterias rupicola is a species of starfish in the family Asteriidae. It is found in shallow waters in the Southern Ocean and sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean.
Pteraster tesselatus, the slime star or cushion star, is a species of starfish in the family Pterasteridae found in the North Pacific.
Diodora rueppellii, common name the Rüppell's keyhole limpet, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets.
Arctonoe is a genus belonging to the family Polynoidae, worms commonly known as "scale worms". Members of this genus predominantly occur in shallow waters of the North-east Pacific Ocean and often live as commensals of other marine invertebrates, frequently echinoderms but sometimes molluscs or other polychaetes.
Arctonoe vittata is a species of scaled polychaete worms commonly known as a "scale worm". This species often lives as a commensal of another marine animal.
Dipolydora commensalis is a species of polychaete worm in the family Spionidae. It has a commensal relationship with a hermit crab and occurs on the lower shore of coasts on the western side of the Atlantic Ocean.