What are limpets?
Two major groups of snails have umbrella-shaped shells. They come from quite separate groups and are not closely related. One group of limpets called True limpets breathe through gills. Some, like those of the Family Patellidae and Lottiidae do not have holes in their shells. The Family Fissurellidae includes the Keyhole limpets which have a hole at the tip of their conical shells. Water is sucked in from under the shell, passes over the two feathery gills, and is then expelled out of the hole in the shell. To avoid water loss through this hole, these limpets live in wetter places. Another member of the Family Fissurellidae are the Shield-limpets (Scutus sp.). Their bodies are a lot larger than their shell. In fact, the shell might be completely covered by their mantle, making them appear to be slugs. A Shield-limpet’s body usually folds up around the edges of the shell and may cover most of the shell. They come in various colours. Their body may be black or beige, and shell white or b
