Lessonii Slipper Limpet Shell, Crepidula lessonii
Lessonii Slipper Limpet Shell, Crepidula lessonii. Shell collected off the beach of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, June 2018. Size: 2.5 cm (1.0 inch) x 1.9 cm (0.7 inches).
Phylogeny: The Lessonii Slipper Limpet, Crepidula lessonii (Broderip, 1834), is a gastropod mollusk that is a member of the Calyptraeidae Family of Cup-and-Saucer and Slipper Limpets Family of Shells. The genus Crepidula is one of eleven genera in this family, and there are forty-eight species in this genus. They are also known as the Lessonii Slipper Shell and in Mexico as Lapa Pantufla de Lesson.
Description: Lessonii Slipper Limpet shells are irregularly shaped, with an ovate profile and a fairly low apex. The exterior sculpting of the shell is a rough and sometimes frilled and/or layered. The exterior of the shell is white in color with reddish brown, radiating lines. The interior is generally white. Some specimens have brown coloration under the apex. The Lessonii Slipper Limpet shells reach a maximum of 2.3 cm (0.9 inches) in length and 1.7 cm (0.7 inches).
Habitat and Distribution: Lessonii Slipper Limpets live on and under rocks within the intertidal zone and to depths up to 10 m (35 feet). They are a subtropical to tropical Eastern Pacific species that are found in Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean from Todos Santos, Baja California Sur south to Guatemala. They are found throughout the Sea of Cortez.
Ecology and Behavior: Lessonii Slipper Limpets are suspension feeders that feed primarily on planktonic algae, which they filter from the water by use of their gills. They are protandrous hermaphrodites, beginning life as males and later becoming females. They reproduce sexually, with internal fertilization. There is no mention in the available literature of them engaging in any types of parasitic, commensal, or symbiotic relationships. From a conservation perspective they have not been formally evaluated however they are fairly common with a relatively wide distribution and should be considered to be of Least Concern.
Synonym: Calyptraea lessonii.