Common slipper shell
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| Crepidula fornicata[1] |
The Common Slipper Shell (Crepidula fornicata) has a high, rounded shell. It is a common gastropod found intertidally to a depth of 40 feet (12 m). They are found on horseshoe crabs, rocks, and dock pilings often in piles:
These gastropods are often found in stacks where the bottom shell is the female and the top one is the male. The shells in the middle have undergone a sex change and are hermaphrodites. They are, therefore, able to fertilize each other. These shells are quite prolific and have become a nuisance to boat owners.[2]
[edit] Other Common Names Include
- Common Atlantic slippersnail
- Boat Shell
- Quarterdeck Shell
[edit] External links
- Common Atlantic Slipper Shell:Master/Mistress of Metamorphosis
- Crepidula fornicata
- Global Invasive Species Database
[edit] References
- ^ ITIS classification. ITIS.gov.
- ^ Andrew J. Martinez (2003). Marine Life of the North Atlantic: Canada to New England. Aqua Quest Publications. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
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