| Geographic Range |
Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Aegean
Sea. |
| Physical Characteristics |
it's a very well known mollusc, above all
because it's very easy to observe it on rocks left uncovered by low tide.
It has a conical and thin shell, more or less elevated, the outline is oval.
The edge is thin and it fits to the surface which the animal sticks to.
The external part is yellowish grey or reddish. The internal part of the
shell is bright, sometimes bluish where the foot muscles clings. Foot is
rounded and wide, and thanks to it the animal can stick to the substratum.
Inside there is a white area, follwed by a little darker one. Almost all
the shell is occupied by the muscular foot that acts as a sucker. It stays
fixed to the rock even for a long period. |
| Behaviour |
it lives on periodically submerged surfaces,
and it can stand long periods of emersion thanks to its foot, that sticks
strongly to the substratum, isolating hermetically the animal. In this way
it is able to hold a certain quantity of water that is enough to prevent
the animal from dehydrate. Sticking to the substratum is possible thanks
also to the secretion of a viscous substance. Reproduction takes place in
spring, with the emission of eggs and sperms. Fertilization takes place
in the water. |
| Habitat |
it lives on hard substrata in the mesolittoral
level. |
| Food habits |
it's an herbivorous mollusc, it lives on seaweeds
that cover the surface on which it lives. |
Patella
coerulea
