Ohmegg Posted September 6, 2022 Share Posted September 6, 2022 When I purchased this snail I thought it just had a smaller one riding along on its shell. I now observe an independent mouth, eyes and tentacles coming out from underneath and eating algae, but the smaller snail is embedded in the larger shell of the individual. Anyone ever seen this before? Quote Link to comment
DevilDuck Posted September 6, 2022 Share Posted September 6, 2022 It's a barnacle. I have an abalone has one hitchhiking on his shell as well. They are harmless filter feeders. Quote Link to comment
Ohmegg Posted September 7, 2022 Author Share Posted September 7, 2022 8 hours ago, DevilDuck said: It's a barnacle. I have an abalone has one hitchhiking on his shell as well. They are harmless filter feeders. A barnacle with a functional mouth tentacles and eyes? Quote Link to comment
DevilDuck Posted September 7, 2022 Share Posted September 7, 2022 Taking a close look at the photo it may also be a limpet. Quote Link to comment
Ohmegg Posted September 10, 2022 Author Share Posted September 10, 2022 On 9/7/2022 at 7:32 AM, DevilDuck said: Taking a close look at the photo it may also be a limpet. A limpet that can't be removed from the shell and never moves from its location? Quote Link to comment
mcarroll Posted September 18, 2022 Share Posted September 18, 2022 Maybe you can get a better photo that illustrates more of the details you're seeing? 1 Quote Link to comment
LazyFish Posted September 18, 2022 Share Posted September 18, 2022 Looks like some kind of clam or bivalve of some kind has attached itself to.the shell. Quote Link to comment
Ohmegg Posted September 19, 2022 Author Share Posted September 19, 2022 9 hours ago, mcarroll said: Maybe you can get a better photo that illustrates more of the details you're seeing? Here you can see the limpets cute little face poking out (it eats hair algae that the snail moves through so that's cool). Quote Link to comment
mitten_reef Posted September 19, 2022 Share Posted September 19, 2022 Just to be clear, when you say "face", you're talk about the left "trunk" like thing sticking out from underside of the snail? the shell structure on top the snail shell is a type of bivalve, I have a small colony of them on a rock. 4-5 indivduals that sort of grow on top of each other. this one just seems to have attached itself to the snail. 1 Quote Link to comment
Ohmegg Posted September 20, 2022 Author Share Posted September 20, 2022 12 hours ago, mitten_reef said: Just to be clear, when you say "face", you're talk about the left "trunk" like thing sticking out from underside of the snail? the shell structure on top the snail shell is a type of bivalve, I have a small colony of them on a rock. 4-5 indivduals that sort of grow on top of each other. this one just seems to have attached itself to the snail. See photo. The bivalve (I think it's a limpet), has two antenna and a mount that extends and eats hair algae. Quote Link to comment
mcarroll Posted October 8, 2022 Share Posted October 8, 2022 Whatever it is, appears to be growing noticeably. 👍 It does seem to maybe have a small opening at the top of its shell like a limpet. Quote Link to comment
Ohmegg Posted October 9, 2022 Author Share Posted October 9, 2022 23 hours ago, mcarroll said: Whatever it is, appears to be growing noticeably. 👍 It does seem to maybe have a small opening at the top of its shell like a limpet. Yes, I'm pretty sure now it's a limpet. So weird that it just hangs on right there near the head of the snail, and judging from the growth deformity on the snails shell it has been there for a very long time, perhaps years. Quote Link to comment
WaterBoxer Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 Kinda sounds like the limpets I spotted on my new conch the other day, although I don't believe mine have the keyholes on top for respiration (keyhole limpets are actually a related snail and not true limpets). Mine have yet to leave the conch, or even really move around at all afaik, but I do see them lift up their shells from time to time to grab food from the sand as the conch moves along. 1 Quote Link to comment
Ohmegg Posted October 9, 2022 Author Share Posted October 9, 2022 6 hours ago, WaterBoxer said: Kinda sounds like the limpets I spotted on my new conch the other day, although I don't believe mine have the keyholes on top for respiration (keyhole limpets are actually a related snail and not true limpets). Mine have yet to leave the conch, or even really move around at all afaik, but I do see them lift up their shells from time to time to grab food from the sand as the conch moves along. Yes these look just like what I got. I don't think they move around at all their entire lives. Quote Link to comment
WaterBoxer Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 1 hour ago, Ohmegg said: Yes these look just like what I got. I don't think they move around at all their entire lives. I read that limpets, or at least some species, can secrete a mucus that actually acts as a strong adhesive to keep them in place for as long as they want. If they are getting enough food, then they can just stay where they are. Otherwise, they can secrete a different mucus with specific carbohydrates that break down the adhesive and allow them to move again. The article I saw talked about limpets staying in place in tidal pools with waves crashing against them, but I'd imagine related species could very well use it to hitch a ride to larger snails or other creatures too. I don't think limpets are very fast and having a mobile home that you can just reach out and grab food from is probably pretty nice. A couple of my smaller (presumably younger) ones are living on top of the bigger ones, so I wonder if the babies do the same to their parents. 1 Quote Link to comment
mcarroll Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 23 hours ago, Ohmegg said: Yes, I'm pretty sure now it's a limpet. So weird that it just hangs on right there near the head of the snail, and judging from the growth deformity on the snails shell it has been there for a very long time, perhaps years. I wouldn't be too surprised if they've grown up together, so maybe a lifetime! 6 hours ago, WaterBoxer said: A couple of my smaller (presumably younger) ones are living on top of the bigger ones, so I wonder if the babies do the same to their parents. I think if they can find enough food around their shell, then that's a pretty good life. I suppose a snail does a good job of finding the kind of foods (and sunshine) that a limpet would like! LOL Quote Link to comment
jambon Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 I have never seen a limpet like that before.. I would hazard a guess at a stomatella snail... Quote Link to comment
Tired Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 It kinda looks like a slipper snail. They're largely stationary, very similar to some limpets in concept. Quote Link to comment
mcarroll Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 It's a tongue twister, but they are apparently also called a "slipper limpet". 😂. Good find, I think you're right! Crepidula spp., apparently! slipper limpet slipper limpet slipper limpet slipper limpet slipper limpet Say that, I dare you! 1 2 Quote Link to comment
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