Tectura virginea

Mickey Luv

Mickey Luv 4 mm, mid intertidal, Cornwall. Lepeta fulva?

Jan Light Whoops no, that looks like Tectura virginea.

Mickey Luv thanks, was not obvious from the illustrations in my Poppe & Goto book. Btw, for more pictures see my blog on my rock pool aquarium: http://anbollenessor.wordpress.com/

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.

Paula Lightfoot Is this a Doto sp? Sorry terrible quality photo!

Christian Skauge Yes, Doto ;-)

Steve Wilkinson And Callochiton (septemvalvis) :)

Christian Skauge And a barnacle :)

David Kipling I see no-one is guessing the sponge species though ...

Paula Lightfoot Sponge?! There is encrusting pink algae, and no I'm not guessing which species. There were white tortoiseshell limpets Tectura virginea on the pink algae too.

Julia Nunn yes Doto sp. with a Callochiton septemvalvis (chiton) next to it

Christian Skauge The pink algae might be Phymatolithon sp. - but I am NOT an expert on this ;-)