Eelgrass limpet
Encyclopedia
The eelgrass limpet
, also known as the bowl limpet, scientific name †Lottia alveus, was a species
of sea snail
or small limpet
, a marine
gastropod mollusk in the family Lottiidae
, the Lottia limpets, a genus
of true limpets. This species lived in the western Atlantic Ocean
.
The eelgrass limpet now appears to be totally extinct, but up until the late 1920s, this species was apparently quite common, and was easy to find at low tide in eelgrass
beds, in many sheltered localities on the northeastern seaboard of North America
.
, Canada, as far south as New York
.
It supposedly went extinct 60 years before its extinction was noticed (Fall, 2005)
marina, a species of seagrass
.
because of a sudden catastrophic collapse of the populations of the eelgrass plant, which was its sole habitat and food source. In the early 1930s, the seagrass beds all along that part of the coastline were decimated by "Wasting
Disease", which was caused by a slime mold.
Some colonies of the seagrass Zostera marina lived in brackish water
, and these areas served as refugia
for the eelgrass since the Wasting Disease did not spread to brackish water. The eelgrass was thus able to survive the catastrophic impact of the disease. The limpet however was unable to tolerate anything but normal salinity seawater, and therefore it did not live through the crisis.
Limpet
Limpet is a common name for a number of different kinds of saltwater and freshwater snails ; it is applied to those snails that have a simple shell which is more or less conical in shape, and either is not spirally coiled, or appears not to be coiled in the adult snails.The name limpet is most...
, also known as the bowl limpet, scientific name †Lottia alveus, was a species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of sea snail
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
or small limpet
Limpet
Limpet is a common name for a number of different kinds of saltwater and freshwater snails ; it is applied to those snails that have a simple shell which is more or less conical in shape, and either is not spirally coiled, or appears not to be coiled in the adult snails.The name limpet is most...
, a marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
gastropod mollusk in the family Lottiidae
Lottiidae
Lottiidae is a family of sea snails, specifically true limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Lottioidea and the clade Patellogastropoda .- 2005 taxonomy :...
, the Lottia limpets, a genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of true limpets. This species lived in the western Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
The eelgrass limpet now appears to be totally extinct, but up until the late 1920s, this species was apparently quite common, and was easy to find at low tide in eelgrass
Zostera
Zostera is a small genus of widely distributed seagrass, commonly called marine eelgrass or simply eelgrass . The genus Zostera contains sixteen species.-Ecology:Zostera is found on sandy substrates or in estuaries submerged or partially floating...
beds, in many sheltered localities on the northeastern seaboard of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Distribution before extinction
This limpet was found from LabradorLabrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
, Canada, as far south as New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
It supposedly went extinct 60 years before its extinction was noticed (Fall, 2005)
Habitat
This small limpet used to live on the blades of ZosteraZostera
Zostera is a small genus of widely distributed seagrass, commonly called marine eelgrass or simply eelgrass . The genus Zostera contains sixteen species.-Ecology:Zostera is found on sandy substrates or in estuaries submerged or partially floating...
marina, a species of seagrass
Seagrass
Seagrasses are flowering plants from one of four plant families , all in the order Alismatales , which grow in marine, fully saline environments.-Ecology:...
.
Cause of extinction
The extinction does not seem to have been caused directly by human interference. This small limpet disappeared from the faunaFauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
because of a sudden catastrophic collapse of the populations of the eelgrass plant, which was its sole habitat and food source. In the early 1930s, the seagrass beds all along that part of the coastline were decimated by "Wasting
Wasting
In medicine, wasting refers to the process by which a debilitating disease causes muscle and fat tissue to "waste" away. Wasting is sometimes referred to as "acute malnutrition" because it is believed that episodes of wasting have a short duration, in contrast to stunting, which is regarded as...
Disease", which was caused by a slime mold.
Some colonies of the seagrass Zostera marina lived in brackish water
Brackish water
Brackish water is water that has more salinity than fresh water, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing of seawater with fresh water, as in estuaries, or it may occur in brackish fossil aquifers. The word comes from the Middle Dutch root "brak," meaning "salty"...
, and these areas served as refugia
Refugia
In biology a refugium , sometimes termed simply a refuge, is a location of an isolated or relict population of a once more widespread species. This isolation can be due to climatic changes, geography, or human activities such as deforestation and over-hunting...
for the eelgrass since the Wasting Disease did not spread to brackish water. The eelgrass was thus able to survive the catastrophic impact of the disease. The limpet however was unable to tolerate anything but normal salinity seawater, and therefore it did not live through the crisis.
External links
- http://biology.mcgill.ca/undergra/c465a/biodiver/2000/eelgrass-limpet/eelgrass-limpet.htm
- The First Historical Extinction of a Marine Invertebrate in an Ocean Basin: The Demise of the Eelgrass Limpet Lottia alveus
- http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/species/speciesDetails_e.cfm?sid=175