Umbrella Cup-and-Saucer Shell, Crucibulum umbrella

Umbrella Cup-and-Saucer Shell, Crucibulum umbrella. Shell collected off  the beach in the greater Loreto area, Loreto, Baja California Sur, October 2019. Size: 5.1 cm (2.0 inches) x 4.2 cm (1.6 inches). Collection, photograph and identification courtesy of Bob Hillis, Ivins, Utah.

Umbrella Cup-and-Saucer Shell, Crucibulum umbrella. Shell collected off  the beach in the greater Loreto area, Loreto, Baja California Sur, October 2019. Size: 4.0 cm (1.6 inches) x 3.0 cm (1.5 inches). Collection, photograph and identification courtesy of Bob Hillis.

The Umbrella Cup-and-Saucer Shell, Crucibulum umbrella (Deshayes, 1830), is a member of the Calyptraeidae Family of Cup-and-Saucer and Slipper Limpets. The shell has an irregular profile, with most being circular or oval in shape. Their apex is central and fairly high and the exterior of the shell has strong radial ribs that extend past the shell margin, forming a jagged edge. The cup is attached only at its apex. The external color varies and may be brown, gray, reddish-brown or white. The interior of the cup is white. The Umbrella Cup-and-Saucer Shells reach a maximum of 5.5 cm (2.2 inches) in length.

Umbrella Cup-and-Saucers are found attached to rocks in the intertidal zone depths up to 165 feet. They range from the central Sea of Cortez to Panama. They have not been documented along the west coast of Baja.