Limpets · Marine Life

Rayed limpet (Helcion pruinosus)

Rayed limpet with iridescent green spots and rays in a shallow rock pool. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2021) – iNaturalist

Shell low, fragile and oval. Apex about one-third from the front margin. Surface smooth, pale brown, shot with beautiful iridescent green spots and rays.

About 25 mm.

Hides beneath low-shore boulders during the day, and emerges at night or during cloudy days. Large numbers are eaten by suckerfish.

Two Oceans: A Guide to the Marine Life of Southern Africa (1994, 2016)
Eroded rayed limpet in a rock pool, with a cushion seastar and some encrusting coralline algae.
Cape Agulhas, Western Cape (2020) – iNaturalist
Non-iridescent rayed limpet in a rock crevice. Jacobsbaai, Western Cape (2020) – iNaturalist

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