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Owl Limpet

Lottia Gigantea

 [owl limpet]

This limpet is BIG! Owl limpets can grow to over 3 and a half inches (90 mm) long. They are common in the high and middle intertidal zones on cliff faces and rocks of surf-beaten shores. They are a sandy brown in color and have prominent owl-shaped markings. Their shell surface is rough often with little barnacles growing on its back.
[owl limpet farm] The large female owl limpets are great farmers. Each farming owl keeps her territory free of other animals by chasing them away. Like a farmer clearing land, she removes small barnacles by rasping them off and bulldozing out smaller limpets and other animals by pushing them out with her shell. Once the she has cleared about a square yard of rock face, she starts growing an algal film. At night she will come out and graze on her crop of algae, like a cow eating grass in a pasture.


These large owl limpets were once eaten by coastal Indians, and the shells are often found in old kitchen garbage dumps. Occasionally, they are still eaten today. During the years 1919 and 1920, the California commercial shellfish catch included up to 8,200 kg of limpets, mostly owl limpets. Fortunately, these days not many people eat these wonderful limpets and they can be easily found in our coastal tide pools.



Last modified: May 20, 1997 by Marti
Comments, complaints, compliments -- marti@cse.ucsc.edu