''Crepidula depressa'' is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
sea snail
Sea snail is a common name for slow-moving marine gastropod molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguished from snails primarily by the ...
, a marine
gastropod
The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda ().
This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...
mollusk
Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...
in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Calyptraeidae
The Calyptraeidae are a family of small to medium-sized marine prosobranch gastropods. MolluscaBase. Calyptraeidae Lamarck, 1809. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141 o ...
, the slipper snails or slipper limpets, cup-and-saucer snails, and hat snails.
Distribution
''Crepidula depressa'' occurs along the Gulf coast of Texas and the Yucatán Peninsula, both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of Florida at least as far north as Lake Worth on the Atlantic coast.
Description
The shell of C. depressa is generally flat and white, ranging from extremely recurved to somewhat convex depending on the habitat of the individual. Those from exposed substrates are often oval and convex. The septum is flat in convex shells and convex in recurved shells, with a notch on the right side where it attaches to the shell. There is also a depression in the center of the septal margin. Muscle scars are absent. The shell is white inside and out, rarely with pinkish-brown streaks. Length up to 4 cm. The translucent white body has opaque white on the tips on the tentacles and the lips and some white spots in the mantle and neck lappets. There is no black pigment on the foot and very little hint of yellow.
The maximum recorded
shell length is 20 mm.
Development
The small eggs produce typical planktotrophic veliger larvae with a smooth, almost planospiral shell at hatching. There are usually at least 100 eggs/capsule, but the number of eggs increases with female size. Average shell length at hatching is 255
µm
The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...
. The larvae take 3–4 weeks to grow to metamorphosis.
Habitat
Minimum recorded depth is 0 m.
Maximum recorded depth is 3 m.
This species lives on shells and inside shells inhabited by hermit crabs. Low intertidal to subtidal.
References
External links
* http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Crepid_depressa.htm
* http://stri.si.edu/sites/collinlab/tree_species/details.php?id=3
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5184263
Calyptraeidae
Molluscs of the Atlantic Ocean
Gastropods described in 1822
Taxa named by Thomas Say