Tectura testudinalis

Anthony Hurd Hi. I originally though this was Tectura testudinalis but am now unsure. Is it Tectura virginea? Are pink markings characteristic of Tectura virginea? Thanks for your help.

Paula Lightfoot Hi ant, this looks like what I've been recording as the white tortoiseshell limpet, t virginea. Seen them on shore at filey and on dives near Scarborough. Where's yours from? There's a good article about the two on the conch soc website but I can't add the link, not good at Facebook via phone!

Anthony Hurd Excellent. Cheers Paula. This is from Black Rocks, Scarborough, but I have seen similar ones at Thornwick. I'll check out the conch site.

Inga Williamson I think it is T. virginea too. One way to be sure is to examine them inside. T. testudinalis has a lovely green colouration and little tentacles around the mantle, whilst T, virginea has a chequered mantle which corresponds to the outer shell markings. T. virginea haven't got tentacles but have little repugnatorial glands which produce some kind of white noxious exudate. In my experience (Orkney and Shetland) T. virginea is more sub-littoral, whilst T. testudinalis is only shallow SL and about ELWS, although the two are found together at this interface. That's just what I've seen though. T. testudinalis is supposed to be Northern - do you definitely get them in NE England?

Anthony Hurd Thanks for the info Inga, that is all good to know. I think T. testudinalis is here, but at its southern limit.

Paula Lightfoot hello again, here's the link to the article: http://www.conchsoc.org/MolluscWorld22/4 Just checked the NBN Gateway and there is one record of T. testudinalis in Yorkshire. Recorded by Paul Brazier north of Hayburn Wyke Scarborough in 1993. NB this is a subtidal not intertidal record...but we're doing lots of Seasearching around Scarborough so who knows, maybe we'll find one if there are still any around this far south!

George Brown First class article Paula. Many thanks.