- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Mollusca
- Class: Gastropoda
- Subclass: Patellogastropoda
- Superfamily: Lottioidea
- Family: Lottiidae
- Scientific name: Testudinalia testudinalis
- Norwegian: marmorert skillpaddesnegl
Characteristics:
The plant limpet, also called common tortoiseshell limpet, may grow to a cone with a base diameter of 3 cm and a height of 1 cm. Fine ridges radiate from the apex (the tip of the shell). The coloration is brown with white bands or white with brown bands. The life span is three years. Breading occurs in the spring and red eggs are laid in thin sheets. These hatch to planktonic larvae.
Habitat:
It is found on smooth rocks, preferably those covered by algae, anywhere from the tidal zone and down to a depth of 50 meters.
Distribution:
This is a northern species, found in the Atlantic as well as the Pacific Ocean. It can be found anywhere along the Norwegian coast.