Ribbed Limpet (Lottia digitalis)

Description: Like most limpets, the ribbed limpet or finger limpet has a cone shaped shell. The point of the ribbed limpet’s shell is off center and it has grooves and bumps running from the top to the base. They can be a tan or light brown or green color and often have dark brown spots. Specific colors and patterns on the shell often differ based on what they live on - rock, mussels, or gooseneck barnacles. They reach sizes of 3.5 cm.

Habitat: Ranging from Alaska to California, ribbed limpets are typically found in high intertidal areas attached to rocks, mussels, and gooseneck barnacles in the high intertidal. A lot of individuals in this species are homing - returning to the same location and often staying within 1 m of their home territory.

Diet: Ribbed limpets use their tongue made of rows of teeth (called a radula) to scrape algae off rocks and mussels to eat. Predators of limpets include sea stars, predatory gastropods (like dogwinkles), shorebirds, fish, seals, and more.

Tide Pool Tidbits:

• Ribbed limpets can live up to 6 years.

• A similar species, the dwarf finger limpet (Lottia paradigitalis), looks like a smaller version of the ribbed limpet crossed with a shield limpet. Scientists used to think it was a hybrid of the two species.

• Historically, larger limpets have been used for food and their shells have been used for making jewelry and other kinds of artwork.

References: Walla Walla University, The New Beachcomber’s Guide to the Pacific Northwest by J Duane Sept