Common Limpet
Patella vulgata
Habitat: Rocky shore and rock pools to low shore
Depth: 1-60m
Food: Algae covering the rocks
Size: Up to 6cm across
Lifespan: Up to 16 years
Conservation Status: Not Evaluated (NE)
Limpets are hardy survivors on the rocky shore and are commonly seen clinging tightly to rocks at low tide. Limpets have a soft body underneath the hat-shaped shell and they graze algae by scraping it with their radula - a tongue-like structure covered in teeth. Limpets always return to the same spot on the rocks and eventually wear a groove in the rocks that fits their shell exactly.