Ecology Summary - Lottia gigantea

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Ecology of Lottia gigantea

Main Ref.	Gallivan, G. and J. Danforth, 1999
Remarks	Occurs on bare areas of rocks in the high to middle intertidal zones. Herbivorous, scrapes diatoms and algae off the rocky surface with their radula. Exhibits territorial behavior. Large animals are females and tend to 'farm' particular rock faces. If another limpet trespasses on this territory, female attacks by inserting its shell margin underneath the edge of the invader's shell and pries the invader off the rock. The smaller males are not territorial. When males reach a critical size they transform into females and begin farming (Ref. 312).

Main Ref.

Gallivan, G. and J. Danforth, 1999

Remarks

Occurs on bare areas of rocks in the high to middle intertidal zones. Herbivorous, scrapes diatoms and algae off the rocky surface with their radula. Exhibits territorial behavior. Large animals are females and tend to 'farm' particular rock faces. If another limpet trespasses on this territory, female attacks by inserting its shell margin underneath the edge of the invader's shell and pries the invader off the rock. The smaller males are not territorial. When males reach a critical size they transform into females and begin farming (Ref. 312).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Lottia gigantea may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Hard Bottom: rocky;
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.	Gallivan, G. and J. Danforth, 1999
Associations
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly plants/detritus (troph. 2-2.19)
Feeding type Ref.	Gallivan, G. and J. Danforth, 1999
Feeding habit	grazing on aquatic plants
Feeding habit Ref.

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	2.00	0.00			Trophic level and s.e. inferred from exclusive plant/detritus food items.
Ref.

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