Patellogastropoda
Encyclopedia
Patellogastropoda, common name true limpet
s and historically called Docoglossa, is a major phylogenetic group of marine
gastropods, seen either as a clade
or as a taxonomic order
.
, 1986, as an order, and was later included in the subclass Eogastropoda
Ponder & Lindberg, 1996.
designated Patellogastropoda, true limpets, as a clade, rather than as a taxon, but within included superfamilies and families as listed below. Families that are exclusively fossil are indicated with a dagger †:
With the exception of calling Patellogastropoda a clade rather than an order, as was previously the case in Ponder and Lindberg, 1997
the taxa as not changed much, differing more in the arrangement of its content rather than in the overall composition. Bouchet and Rocroi omitted Ponder and Lindberg's suborders, and added in the superfamily Neolepetopsoidea.
research: Acmaeidae is a synonym of Lottiidae
; Pectinodontinae is elevated to Pectinodontidae
; new family Eoacmaeidae with the new type genus Eoacmaea
is established.
A cladogram
based on sequences of mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA
, 16S ribosomal RNA
and cytochrome-c oxidase I
(COI) genes showing phylogenic relations of Patellogastropoda by Nakano & Ozawa (2007) and superfamilies based on World Register of Marine Species
:
Note that family Neolepetopsidae
is not in the cladogram above, because its members were not genetically analyzed by Nakano & Ozawa (2007). But two Neolepetosidae species Eulepetopsis vitrea
and Paralepetopsis floridensis
were previously analyzed by Harasewych & McArthur (2000), who confirmed their placement within Acmaeoidea/Lottioidea based on analysis of partial 18S rDNA. There are also not included in the cladogram families Daminilidae
and Lepetopsidae
, because they are exclusively fossil families. All of these three families belong to superfamily Lottioidea
.
Actual taxonomy based on data by Nakano & Ozawa (2007) with placement of the rest three families (Neolepetopsidae, Daminilidae, Lepetopsidae) into Lottioidea is like this:
In 2007, two years following Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005, Tomoyuki Nakano and Tomowo Ozawa referred to the order Patellogastropoda.
, and the majority of species are commonly found adhering strongly to rocks or other hard substrates
, looking like little bumps on the surface. Many limpet shells are often covered in microscopic growths of green marine algae, which can make them even harder to see, as they can closely resemble the rock surface itself.
The majority of limpet species have shells that are less than 3 in (8 cm) in maximum length and many are much smaller than that.
A west Mexican limpet species, the giant limpet, Patella mexicana, is known to grow as large as 8 in (20 cm). This species is now in serious danger of extinction, as it is slow to reach maturity, and has suffered from over collecting, both as a food item, and by shell collectors and dealers.
, from the high zone (upper littoral zone) to the shallow subtidal, but other species live in deep sea
in and their habitat include hydrothermal vent
s, whalebone (baleen
), whale-fall and sulphide seeps.
They attach themselves to the substrate using pedal mucus
and a muscular "foot". They locomote using wave-like muscular contractions of the foot when conditions are suitable for them to graze. They can also "clamp down" against the rock surface with very considerable force when necessary, and this ability enables them to remain safely attached, despite the dangerous wave action on exposed rocky shores. The ability to clamp down also seals the shell edge against the rock surface, protecting them from desiccation
during low tide, despite their being in full sunlight.
When true limpets are fully clamped down, it is impossible to remove them from the rock using brute force alone, and the limpet will allow itself to be destroyed rather than stop clinging to its rock. This survival strategy has led to the limpet being used as a metaphor
for obstinacy or stubbornness.
which grows on the rock (or other surfaces) where they live. They scrape up films of algae with a radula
, a ribbon-like tongue with rows of teeth. Limpets move by rippling the muscles of their foot in a wave-like motion.
In some parts of the world, certain smaller species of true limpet are specialized to live on seagrass
es and graze on the microscopic algae which grow there. Other species live on, and graze directly on, the stipes (stalks) of brown algae (kelp
).
Some species of limpets return to the same spot on the rock known as a "home scar" just before the tide recedes. In such species, the shape of their shell often grows to precisely match the contours of the rock surrounding the scar. This behaviour presumably allows them to form a better seal to the rock and may help protect from either predation or desiccation.
It is still unclear how limpets find their way back to the same spot each time, but it is thought that they follow pheromones in the mucus left as they move. Other species, notably Lottia gigantea seem to "garden" a patch of algae around their home scar. They are one of the few invertebrates to exhibit territoriality
and will aggressively push other organisms out of this patch by ramming with their shell, thereby allowing their patch of algae to grow for their own grazing.
, shore-birds, fish, seals, and humans. Limpets exhibit a variety of defenses, such as fleeing or clamping their shells against the substratum. The defense response can be determined by the type of predator, which can often be detected chemically by the limpet.
Limpets can be long lived, with tagged specimens surviving for more than 10 years. If the limpet lives on bare rock, it grows at a slower rate but can live for up to 20 years.
Limpets found on exposed shores, which have fewer rock pools than sheltered shores and are thus in less frequent contact with water, have a greater risk of desiccation
due to the effects of increased sunlight, water evaporation and the increased wind speed. To avoid drying out they will clamp to the rock they inhabit, minimizing water-loss from the rim around their base. As this occurs chemicals are released that promote the vertical growth of the limpet's shell.
, limpets (Cellana species) are commonly known as ‘opihi, and are considered a delicacy; the meat sells for £15-25 a pound (454g). In Portugal
, limpets are known as lapas and are also considered to be a delicacy. Within Gaelic Scotland
and Ireland
, a limpet is known as a 'báirnach', and Martin Martin
recorded (on Jura
) limpets being boiled to use in a substitute for breast milk
.
Limpet
Limpet is a common name for a number of different kinds of saltwater and freshwater snails ; it is applied to those snails that have a simple shell which is more or less conical in shape, and either is not spirally coiled, or appears not to be coiled in the adult snails.The name limpet is most...
s and historically called Docoglossa, is a major phylogenetic group of marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
gastropods, seen either as a clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
or as a taxonomic order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
.
Taxonomy
Patellogastropoda was proposed by David R. LindbergDavid R. Lindberg
David R. Lindberg is an American malacologist and professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also the Curator for the University of California Museum of Paleontology and co-editor of the journal Molecular Systematics and Phylogeography of Mollusks.Much of his...
, 1986, as an order, and was later included in the subclass Eogastropoda
Eogastropoda
Eogastropoda was a previously used taxonomic category of snails or gastropods, a subclass which was erected by Ponder and Lindberg in 1997. It was one of two great divisions of the class Gastropoda, the snails. The other subclass of gastropods was the Orthogastropoda.Eogastropoda were the more...
Ponder & Lindberg, 1996.
2005 taxonomy
Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005Taxonomy of the Gastropoda (Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005)
The taxonomy of the Gastropoda as it was revised by Philippe Bouchet and Jean-Pierre Rocroi is currently the most up-to-date overall system for classifying gastropod mollusks...
designated Patellogastropoda, true limpets, as a clade, rather than as a taxon, but within included superfamilies and families as listed below. Families that are exclusively fossil are indicated with a dagger †:
- Superfamily Patelloidea
- Family PatellidaePatellidaePatellidae is a taxonomic family of sea snails or true limpets, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Patellogastropoda.Patellidae is the only family in the superfamily Patelloidea...
- Family Patellidae
- Superfamily Nacelloidea
- Family NacellidaeNacellidaeNacellidae is a taxonomic family of sea snails or true limpets, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Patellogastropoda.Nacellidae is the only family in the superfamily Nacelloidea...
- Family Nacellidae
- Superfamily LottioideaLottioideaLottioidea is a superfamily of sea snails or limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Patellogastropoda, the true limpets.-2005 taxonomy:There are three families within Lottioidea in the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi :...
- Family LottiidaeLottiidaeLottiidae is a family of sea snails, specifically true limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Lottioidea and the clade Patellogastropoda .- 2005 taxonomy :...
- Family Acmaeidae Forbes, 1850
- subfamily Acmaeinae Forbes, 1850
- subfamily Pectinodontinae Pilsbry, 1891
- subfamily Rhodopetalinae LindbergDavid R. LindbergDavid R. Lindberg is an American malacologist and professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also the Curator for the University of California Museum of Paleontology and co-editor of the journal Molecular Systematics and Phylogeography of Mollusks.Much of his...
, 1981
- Family LepetidaeLepetidaeLepetidae is a family of sea snails or small, deep-water true limpets, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Patellogastropoda the true limpets.- Taxonomy :...
- Family Lottiidae
- Superfamily NeolepetopsoideaNeolepetopsoideaNeolepetopsoidea is considered as a synonym of Lottioidea.Previously Neolepetopsoidea was considered as a superfamily of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks within the clade Patellogastropoda.-Families:...
- Family NeolepetopsidaeNeolepetopsidaeNeolepetopsidae is a family of gastropods in the clade Patellogastropoda .This family has no subfamilies.- Etymology :...
- † Family DaminilidaeDaminilidaeDaminilidae is an extinct family of fossil sea snails, true limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Patellogastropoda.This family has no subfamilies.- Taxonomy :...
- † Family LepetopsidaeLepetopsidaeLepetopsidae is an extinct family of gastropods in the clade Patellogastropoda.This family has no subfamilies.Members of extant family Neolepetopsidae probably developed from Lepetopsidae.- Taxonomy :...
- Family Neolepetopsidae
With the exception of calling Patellogastropoda a clade rather than an order, as was previously the case in Ponder and Lindberg, 1997
Taxonomy of the Gastropoda (Ponder & Lindberg, 1997)
The taxonomy of the Gastropoda, as revised by Winston Ponder and David R. Lindberg in 1997, is an older taxonomy of the class Gastropoda, the class of molluscs consisting of all snails and slugs...
the taxa as not changed much, differing more in the arrangement of its content rather than in the overall composition. Bouchet and Rocroi omitted Ponder and Lindberg's suborders, and added in the superfamily Neolepetopsoidea.
2007 taxonomy
Nakano & Ozawa (2007) made many changes in the taxonomy of the Patellogastropoda, based on molecular phylogenyMolecular phylogeny
Molecular phylogenetics is the analysis of hereditary molecular differences, mainly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. The result of a molecular phylogenetic analysis is expressed in a phylogenetic tree...
research: Acmaeidae is a synonym of Lottiidae
Lottiidae
Lottiidae is a family of sea snails, specifically true limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Lottioidea and the clade Patellogastropoda .- 2005 taxonomy :...
; Pectinodontinae is elevated to Pectinodontidae
Pectinodontidae
Pectinodontidae is a family of sea snails or true limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Patellogastropoda, the true limpets.- Taxonomy :...
; new family Eoacmaeidae with the new type genus Eoacmaea
Eoacmaea
Eoacmaea is a genus of sea snails or true limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Patellogastropoda, the true limpets.Eoacmaea is the only genus in the family Eoacmaeidae, that is the only family in the superfamily Eoacmaeoidea....
is established.
A cladogram
Cladogram
A cladogram is a diagram used in cladistics which shows ancestral relations between organisms, to represent the evolutionary tree of life. Although traditionally such cladograms were generated largely on the basis of morphological characters, DNA and RNA sequencing data and computational...
based on sequences of mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA
12S ribosomal RNA
Mitochondrially encoded 12S RNA is a 959 nt long mitochondrial ribosomal RNA . In humans, 12S is encoded by the MTRNR1 gene.All animal mitochondria genomes contain 37 genes, 2 rRNA, 22 tRNA and 13 mRNA...
, 16S ribosomal RNA
16S ribosomal RNA
16S ribosomal RNA is a component of the 30S subunit of prokaryotic ribosomes. It is approximately 1.5kb in length...
and cytochrome-c oxidase I
Main subunit of cytochrome c oxidase
Cytochrome C and Quinol oxidase polypeptide I is main subunit of cytochrome c oxidase complex.Cytochrome c oxidase is a key enzyme in aerobic metabolism. Proton pumping heme-copper oxidases represent the terminal, energy-transfer enzymes of respiratory chains in prokaryotes and eukaryotes...
(COI) genes showing phylogenic relations of Patellogastropoda by Nakano & Ozawa (2007) and superfamilies based on World Register of Marine Species
World Register of Marine Species
The World Register of Marine Species is a database that hopes to provide an authoritative and comprehensive list of names of marine organisms. The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scientific specialists on each group of organism. These taxonomists control the quality of the...
:
Note that family Neolepetopsidae
Neolepetopsidae
Neolepetopsidae is a family of gastropods in the clade Patellogastropoda .This family has no subfamilies.- Etymology :...
is not in the cladogram above, because its members were not genetically analyzed by Nakano & Ozawa (2007). But two Neolepetosidae species Eulepetopsis vitrea
Eulepetopsis vitrea
Eulepetopsis vitrea is a species of sea snail, a true limpet, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Neolepetopsidae, one of the families of true limpets.Eulepetopsis vitrea is the only species in the genus Eulepetopsis....
and Paralepetopsis floridensis
Paralepetopsis floridensis
Paralepetopsis floridensis is a species of sea snail, a true limpet, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Neolepetopsidae, one of the families of true limpets.Paralepetopsis floridensis is the type species in the genus Paralepetopsis....
were previously analyzed by Harasewych & McArthur (2000), who confirmed their placement within Acmaeoidea/Lottioidea based on analysis of partial 18S rDNA. There are also not included in the cladogram families Daminilidae
Daminilidae
Daminilidae is an extinct family of fossil sea snails, true limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Patellogastropoda.This family has no subfamilies.- Taxonomy :...
and Lepetopsidae
Lepetopsidae
Lepetopsidae is an extinct family of gastropods in the clade Patellogastropoda.This family has no subfamilies.Members of extant family Neolepetopsidae probably developed from Lepetopsidae.- Taxonomy :...
, because they are exclusively fossil families. All of these three families belong to superfamily Lottioidea
Lottioidea
Lottioidea is a superfamily of sea snails or limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Patellogastropoda, the true limpets.-2005 taxonomy:There are three families within Lottioidea in the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi :...
.
Actual taxonomy based on data by Nakano & Ozawa (2007) with placement of the rest three families (Neolepetopsidae, Daminilidae, Lepetopsidae) into Lottioidea is like this:
- superfamily Eoacmaeoidea
- family Eoacmaeidae
- superfamily Patelloidea
- family PatellidaePatellidaePatellidae is a taxonomic family of sea snails or true limpets, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Patellogastropoda.Patellidae is the only family in the superfamily Patelloidea...
- family Patellidae
- superfamily LottioideaLottioideaLottioidea is a superfamily of sea snails or limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Patellogastropoda, the true limpets.-2005 taxonomy:There are three families within Lottioidea in the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi :...
- family NacellidaeNacellidaeNacellidae is a taxonomic family of sea snails or true limpets, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Patellogastropoda.Nacellidae is the only family in the superfamily Nacelloidea...
- family LepetidaeLepetidaeLepetidae is a family of sea snails or small, deep-water true limpets, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Patellogastropoda the true limpets.- Taxonomy :...
- family PectinodontidaePectinodontidaePectinodontidae is a family of sea snails or true limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Patellogastropoda, the true limpets.- Taxonomy :...
- family LottiidaeLottiidaeLottiidae is a family of sea snails, specifically true limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Lottioidea and the clade Patellogastropoda .- 2005 taxonomy :...
- family NeolepetopsidaeNeolepetopsidaeNeolepetopsidae is a family of gastropods in the clade Patellogastropoda .This family has no subfamilies.- Etymology :...
- † family DaminilidaeDaminilidaeDaminilidae is an extinct family of fossil sea snails, true limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Patellogastropoda.This family has no subfamilies.- Taxonomy :...
- † family LepetopsidaeLepetopsidaeLepetopsidae is an extinct family of gastropods in the clade Patellogastropoda.This family has no subfamilies.Members of extant family Neolepetopsidae probably developed from Lepetopsidae.- Taxonomy :...
- family Nacellidae
In 2007, two years following Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005, Tomoyuki Nakano and Tomowo Ozawa referred to the order Patellogastropoda.
Description
Patellogastropoda have flattened, cone-shaped shellsGastropod shell
The gastropod shell is a shell which is part of the body of a gastropod or snail, one kind of mollusc. The gastropod shell is an external skeleton or exoskeleton, which serves not only for muscle attachment, but also for protection from predators and from mechanical damage...
, and the majority of species are commonly found adhering strongly to rocks or other hard substrates
Substrate (marine biology)
Stream substrate is the material that rests at the bottom of a stream. There are several classification guides. One is:*Mud – silt and clay.*Sand – Particles between 0.06 and 2 mm in diameter.*Granule – Between 2 and 4 mm in diameter....
, looking like little bumps on the surface. Many limpet shells are often covered in microscopic growths of green marine algae, which can make them even harder to see, as they can closely resemble the rock surface itself.
The majority of limpet species have shells that are less than 3 in (8 cm) in maximum length and many are much smaller than that.
A west Mexican limpet species, the giant limpet, Patella mexicana, is known to grow as large as 8 in (20 cm). This species is now in serious danger of extinction, as it is slow to reach maturity, and has suffered from over collecting, both as a food item, and by shell collectors and dealers.
Distribution
Representatives of the Patellogastropoda, true limpets, live on the rocky coasts of all oceans.Habitat
Some true limpets live throughout the intertidal zoneIntertidal zone
The intertidal zone is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide . This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals like starfish, sea urchins, and some species of coral...
, from the high zone (upper littoral zone) to the shallow subtidal, but other species live in deep sea
Deep sea
The deep sea, or deep layer, is the lowest layer in the ocean, existing below the thermocline and above the seabed, at a depth of 1000 fathoms or more. Little or no light penetrates this part of the ocean and most of the organisms that live there rely for subsistence on falling organic matter...
in and their habitat include hydrothermal vent
Hydrothermal vent
A hydrothermal vent is a fissure in a planet's surface from which geothermally heated water issues. Hydrothermal vents are commonly found near volcanically active places, areas where tectonic plates are moving apart, ocean basins, and hotspots. Hydrothermal vents exist because the earth is both...
s, whalebone (baleen
Baleen
Baleen or whalebone is a filter-feeder system inside the mouths of baleen whales. The baleen system works when a whale opens its mouth underwater and then water pours into the whale's mouth. The whale then pushes the water out, and animals such as krill are filtered by the baleen and remain as food...
), whale-fall and sulphide seeps.
They attach themselves to the substrate using pedal mucus
Mucus
In vertebrates, mucus is a slippery secretion produced by, and covering, mucous membranes. Mucous fluid is typically produced from mucous cells found in mucous glands. Mucous cells secrete products that are rich in glycoproteins and water. Mucous fluid may also originate from mixed glands, which...
and a muscular "foot". They locomote using wave-like muscular contractions of the foot when conditions are suitable for them to graze. They can also "clamp down" against the rock surface with very considerable force when necessary, and this ability enables them to remain safely attached, despite the dangerous wave action on exposed rocky shores. The ability to clamp down also seals the shell edge against the rock surface, protecting them from desiccation
Desiccation
Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container.-Science:...
during low tide, despite their being in full sunlight.
When true limpets are fully clamped down, it is impossible to remove them from the rock using brute force alone, and the limpet will allow itself to be destroyed rather than stop clinging to its rock. This survival strategy has led to the limpet being used as a metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
for obstinacy or stubbornness.
Feeding
Most limpets feed by grazing on algaeAlgae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
which grows on the rock (or other surfaces) where they live. They scrape up films of algae with a radula
Radula
The radula is an anatomical structure that is used by molluscs for feeding, sometimes compared rather inaccurately to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food enters the esophagus...
, a ribbon-like tongue with rows of teeth. Limpets move by rippling the muscles of their foot in a wave-like motion.
In some parts of the world, certain smaller species of true limpet are specialized to live on seagrass
Seagrass
Seagrasses are flowering plants from one of four plant families , all in the order Alismatales , which grow in marine, fully saline environments.-Ecology:...
es and graze on the microscopic algae which grow there. Other species live on, and graze directly on, the stipes (stalks) of brown algae (kelp
Kelp
Kelps are large seaweeds belonging to the brown algae in the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genera....
).
Homing behaviour
It is still unclear how limpets find their way back to the same spot each time, but it is thought that they follow pheromones in the mucus left as they move. Other species, notably Lottia gigantea seem to "garden" a patch of algae around their home scar. They are one of the few invertebrates to exhibit territoriality
Territory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
and will aggressively push other organisms out of this patch by ramming with their shell, thereby allowing their patch of algae to grow for their own grazing.
Predators and other risks
Limpets are preyed upon by a variety of organisms including starfishSea star
Starfish or sea stars are echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea. The names "starfish" and "sea star" essentially refer to members of the class Asteroidea...
, shore-birds, fish, seals, and humans. Limpets exhibit a variety of defenses, such as fleeing or clamping their shells against the substratum. The defense response can be determined by the type of predator, which can often be detected chemically by the limpet.
Limpets can be long lived, with tagged specimens surviving for more than 10 years. If the limpet lives on bare rock, it grows at a slower rate but can live for up to 20 years.
Limpets found on exposed shores, which have fewer rock pools than sheltered shores and are thus in less frequent contact with water, have a greater risk of desiccation
Desiccation
Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container.-Science:...
due to the effects of increased sunlight, water evaporation and the increased wind speed. To avoid drying out they will clamp to the rock they inhabit, minimizing water-loss from the rim around their base. As this occurs chemicals are released that promote the vertical growth of the limpet's shell.
Reproduction
Spawning occurs once a year, usually during winter, and is triggered by rough seas which disperse the eggs and sperm. Larvae float around for a couple of weeks before settling onto a hard substrate.Human use
Larger limpet species are, or were historically, cooked and eaten in many different parts of the world. For example, in HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, limpets (Cellana species) are commonly known as ‘opihi, and are considered a delicacy; the meat sells for £15-25 a pound (454g). In Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, limpets are known as lapas and are also considered to be a delicacy. Within Gaelic Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, a limpet is known as a 'báirnach', and Martin Martin
Martin Martin
Martin Martin was a Scottish writer best known for his work A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland . This book is particularly noted for its information on the St Kilda archipelago...
recorded (on Jura
Jura, Scotland
Jura is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, situated adjacent and to the north-east of Islay. Part of the island is designated as a National Scenic Area. Until the twentieth century Jura was dominated - and most of it was eventually owned - by the Campbell clan of Inveraray Castle on Loch...
) limpets being boiled to use in a substitute for breast milk
Breast milk
Breast milk, more specifically human milk, is the milk produced by the breasts of a human female for her infant offspring...
.