Patella ulyssiponensis

Patella ulyssiponensis, common name the rough limpet, or China limpet is a species of sea snail, a true limpet, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Patellidae, one of the families of true limpets. Despite its common name, the China limpet is found throughout the Eastern North Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

Patella ulyssiponensis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Patellogastropoda
Family:	Patellidae
Genus:	Patella
Species:	P. ulyssiponensis
Binomial name
Patella ulyssiponensis Gmelin, 1791
Synonyms
Patella aspera Lanarck, 1819 Patella athletica Bean, 1844 (junior synonym) Patella azorica Nuttal in Jay, 1852 Patella baudonii Drouet, 1858 Patella bonnardii Payraudeau, 1826 Patella caerulea var. tenuistriata Weinkauff, 1880 Patella donacina Anton, 1838 Patella listeri Monterosato, 1888 Patella lowei d'Orbigny, 1840 Patella orbignyana Nordsieck & Talavera, 1979 (dubious synonym) Patella paulinoi Locard, 1894 Patella pontica Valenciennes in Monterosato, 1888 Patella pontica Milaschewitsch, 1914 Patella repanda Gmelin, 1791 Patella spectabilis Dunker, 1853 Patella spinosula Meuschen, 1787 Patella spinulosa Mörch, 1853 Patella tarentina Salis Marschlins, 1793 Patella teneriffae Mabille, 1888 (dubious synonym) Patella ulyssiponensis deserta Christiaens, 1973 Patella vulgata var. albula de Gregorio, 1884 Patella vulgata var. cimbulata de Gregorio, 1884 Patella vulgata var. comina de Gregorio, 1884 Patella vulgata var. depressaspera de Gregorio, 1884

Compared with the common limpet, Patella vulgata, the rough limpet has a similar shell (maximum size 50mm long x 40 mm wide x 20 mm high, apex closer to the front of the animal/ anterior than to the back/ posterior) but with radiating ridges that are finer and which alternate 1-ridge/ 3-ridges around the shell in a distinct pattern. The interior of the shell is often tinged orange towards its apex. The foot is a cream-orange color, and the dozens of pallial tentacles are translucent and colorless, arranged in two series of different sizes. No other characteristics of body structure or shell morphology distinguish it from P. vulgata, to which it is otherwise identical.

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  Patella ulyssiponensis f. tenerifeae
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  Patella ulyssiponensis f. athletica

Etymology

Patella ulyssiponensis can be divided into the Latin words Patella, meaning "little pan", and ulyssiponensis, meaning "from Lisbon".

Distribution

Patella ulyssiponensis is found in the European Atlantic area north to the North Sea and also in the Mediterranean.

Uses

In Madeira Island in Portugal, Patella ulyssiponensis, known locally as Lapa, is eaten after cooking in a pan with garlic and lemon juice.

References

• Gmelin, J.F. (1791) Vermes. In Gmelin J.F. (Ed.) Caroli a Linnaei Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, Editio Decima Tertia, Aucta Reformata. Tome 1, Pars 6 (Vermes). G.E. Beer, Lipsiae [Leipzig], pp. 3021–3910