Diodora italica | |
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Shells of Diodora italica. | |
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Fossil shell of Diodora italica from Pliocene of Italy | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Vetigastropoda |
Family: | Fissurellidae |
Genus: | Diodora |
Species: | D. italica |
Binomial name | |
Diodora italica (DeFrance, 1820) | |
Synonyms | |
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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.
The fossil records of this species dates back to the Miocene (age range: from 23.03 to 0.012 million years ago). These fossils have been found in Italy, Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Moldova and Slovakia. [2]
The shells of Diodora italica can reach a length of about 56 millimetres (2.2 in) and a width of about 25 millimetres (0.98 in). The basic color is whitish or grayish with small radial ribs and sometimes with 8-10 dark gray or brownish bands radiating from the centre. [3] [4]
Water for respiration and excretion is drawn in under the edge of the shell and exits through the "keyhole" at or near the apex. Like all other fissurellids, these sea snails are herbivores, and use the radula to scrape algae from rocks.
This species occurs in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean and lives on stony soils at a depth of about 10 meters. [1] [5]
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.
Diodora is a genus of small to medium-sized keyhole limpet in the family Fissurellidae.
Diodora graeca, the Greek keyhole limpet, is a sea snail or limpet, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets.
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. 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 crucifera is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets.
Diodora demartiniorum 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 alta is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
Diodora cruciata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
Diodora digueti is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
Diodora elevata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
Diodora elizabethae is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
Diodora fontainiana is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
Diodora galeata, common name the cup-shaped keyhole limpet, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
Diodora granifera is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
Diodora inaequalis is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
Diodora octagona is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
Diodora pica is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
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.
Media related to Diodora italica at Wikimedia Commons