| Megathura crenulata | |
|---|---|
| Megathura crenulata on the right, and the warty sea cucumber Parastichopus parvimensis on the left | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| (unranked): | clade Vetigastropoda |
| Superfamily: | Fissurelloidea |
| Family: | Fissurellidae |
| Genus: | Megathura |
| Species: | M. crenulata |
| Binomial name | |
| Megathura crenulata G. B. Sowerby I, 1825 |
|
Megathura crenulata, common name the "great keyhole limpet" or "giant keyhole limpet", is a species of limpet in the family Fissurellidae. These keyhole limpets are large, growing up to 60-132 mm., and are unusual in having a shell largely concealed in the tough fleshy mantle[1] They are native to rocky coasts of Southern California and are found at shallow depths below the low tide line.[2]
Megathura is a monotypic genus, in other words, this is the only species in that genus.
Keyhole limpet hemocyanin from Megathura crenulata is used as vaccine carrier protein.