''Diodora funiculata'' 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 ...

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 ...

Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets.

Description

The Fissurellidae clan comprises a wide range of sea snails that are known as keyhole limpets or slit limpets. They are prevalent in rocky habitats in intertidal and subtidal zones in oceans worldwide. The unique feature of this family is their shells, which have a conical or oval shape with a keyhole appearance. This keyhole is created by a hole close to the top of the shell and a notch or slit near the base. Fissurellidae shells vary in texture and color, with some being smooth and others having sculptured ridges ranging from dull shades of gray or brown to bright, vibrant hues. These shells are crucial for shielding the gastropods from predators and giving them a secure surface to attach to rocky substrates. Fissurellids' feet are robust and muscular and serve as means for movement and feeding on algae and other plant matter on rocks and other surfaces. Fissurellids play a crucial role as herbivores in rocky intertidal ecosystems and are significant grazers. They have the ability to utilize their shells as a scraping tool to remove algae from surfaces. Additionally, they are ecologically valuable since they offer microhabitats for other organisms (such as sea anemones and barnacles) by providing shelter within their shells. Numerous types of Fissurellidae are gathered for human consumption in Latin America and Asia, but the excessive fishing practices and destruction of their habitats have resulted in a decrease in the number of some species. To safeguard the keyhole limpets, methods such as the creation of marine protected regions and the implementation of rules on harvesting wild populations are being employed as conservation initiatives. The Fissurellidae clan is a significant assemblage of sea snails that possess unique shells and serve crucial ecological and financial functions. Their shells, which have a hole in the center, offer them safety from predators and firm adhesion to rocky surfaces. Their grazing behavior and ability to generate microenvironments make them ecologically important, while their economic worth has resulted in attempts to conserve their populations.

Distribution

This species occurs in the

Red Sea The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; T ...

and as an invasive species in the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

References

* Bosch D.T., Dance S.P., Moolenbeek R.G. & Oliver P.G. (1995) ''Seashells of eastern Arabia.'' Dubai: Motivate Publishing. 296 * Streftaris, N.; Zenetos, A.; Papathanassiou, E. (2005). ''Globalisation in marine ecosystems: the story of non-indigenous marine species across European seas.'' Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Annu. Rev. 43: 419–453

External links

* Fissurellidae Gastropods described in 1850 {{Fissurellidae-stub