Juan de Fuca Limpet

Juan de Fuca Limpet (Lepetodrilus fucensis)

Limpets on Escargot vent, Axial Seamount. Here, the limpet shells have been stained brown by hydrothermal deposits.

Limpets are a group of marine snails, members of Class Gastropoda. Lepetodrilus fucensis, often referred to as the Juan de Fuca Limpet is the common limpet found on Axial Seamount, and it is the most abundant macrofaunal organism found on Axial’s hydrothermal vents. However, due to their small size (~10 mm) these limpets rank third in terms of Axial’s biomass. They are most abundant on sulfide chimneys, and are often attached to the abundant tube worms. They are also found occasionally on basalt lava surfaces.

This limpet species has multiple feeding strategies: grazing, suspension feeding, and obtaining organic material from endosymbiotic bacteria. It is common to see many specimens vertically stacked on one another, allowing them better ability to suspension feed. This stacking characteristic makes them good competitors for space on a vent. They appear to have no major predator at Axial Seamount.

References:
Tunnicliffe, Verena, and Maia Tsurumi. "Tubeworm-associated communities at hydrothermal vents on the Juan de Fuca Ridge, northeast Pacific." Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers: 611-629.
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/eoi/nemo/explorer/bio_gallery/biogallery-Info.00022.html

 

Hundreds of limpets are intermixed with beautiful brown anemones, scale worms, scarce tubeworms, and filamentous bacteria in a diffuse flow site at ASHES hydrothermal field. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS dive R2240; V22.
Hundreds of limpets are intermixed with beautiful brown anemones, scale worms, scarce tubeworms, and filamentous bacteria in a diffuse flow site at ASHES hydrothermal field. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS dive R2240; V22.
A clump of healthy tubeworms encased in limpets grow in the International District Hydrothermal Field. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI. V20.
A clump of healthy tubeworms encased in limpets grow in the International District Hydrothermal Field. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI. V20.
Millions of limpets surround palm worms thriving on the actively venting structure "Mushroom". Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI: V20.
Millions of limpets surround palm worms thriving on the actively venting structure "Mushroom". Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI: V20.
Small chimlets sprout from the top of Mushroom, covered in blue ciliates, palm and tubeworms and limpets. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI. V20.
Small chimlets sprout from the top of Mushroom, covered in blue ciliates, palm and tubeworms and limpets. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI. V20.
A cluster of healthy tube worms enclosed by limpets thrive in the International District. The tube worms lack a gut, anus, or mouth, but host endosymbionts that provide their energy. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI V20.
A cluster of healthy tube worms enclosed by limpets thrive in the International District. The tube worms lack a gut, anus, or mouth, but host endosymbionts that provide their energy. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI V20.
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The base of the animal-covered, actively venting Mushroom vent in the ASHES hydrothermal field. Tubeworms, blue ciliates, palm and sulfide worms and limpets cover the structure. The high definition camera is in the background. Credit. UW/OOI-NSF/WHOI V20.
The base of the animal-covered, actively venting Mushroom vent in the ASHES hydrothermal field. Tubeworms, blue ciliates, palm and sulfide worms and limpets cover the structure. The high definition camera is in the background. Credit. UW/OOI-NSF/WHOI V20.
Beautiful purple-blue ciliates, white filamentous bacteria and tube worms with red hemoglobin-filled plumes, and limpets colonize the outside of the Mushroom edifice at ASHES. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI V20.
Beautiful purple-blue ciliates, white filamentous bacteria and tube worms with red hemoglobin-filled plumes, and limpets colonize the outside of the Mushroom edifice at ASHES. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI V20.
Tubeworms, limpets, and other life thrive on the hydrothermal vent Inferno surveyed during dive J2-1092. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.
Tubeworms, limpets, and other life thrive on the hydrothermal vent Inferno surveyed during dive J2-1092. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.
Organisms colonize the outer walls of the 16 m-tall hydrothermal edifice called El Guapo. The community structure changes with height above seafloor. Here, limpets, red scale worms and blue protists (ciliates) colonize the outer sulfide walls of the structure. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.
Organisms colonize the outer walls of the 16 m-tall hydrothermal edifice called El Guapo. The community structure changes with height above seafloor. Here, limpets, red scale worms and blue protists (ciliates) colonize the outer sulfide walls of the structure. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.
The summit of the 9 meter chimney in the International District Hydrothermal Field is covered in a beautiful tubeworm bush, limpets, and blue ciliates. It now hosts two chimlets venting high-temperature clear fluids. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.
The summit of the 9 meter chimney in the International District Hydrothermal Field is covered in a beautiful tubeworm bush, limpets, and blue ciliates. It now hosts two chimlets venting high-temperature clear fluids. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.
A small cluster of blue cilliates intermixed with limpets grow in a diffuse flow site on the the 2011 lava flow at the summit of Axial Seamount. Credit: UW/OOI-NSF/WHOI; J2-980; V17.
A small cluster of blue cilliates intermixed with limpets grow in a diffuse flow site on the the 2011 lava flow at the summit of Axial Seamount. Credit: UW/OOI-NSF/WHOI; J2-980; V17.
Worms and Limpets
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Two scaleworms roam among the Palm worms and limpets at Mushroom, one of the hydrothermal vents at ASHES vent field on Axial Seamount. One worm shows its usual pinkish red color (at left), while the other is coated with a fur-like layer of filamentous bacteria. This image was taken with the RCA HD Video Camera during its test on the seafloor during VISIONS 13. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI, V14
Two scaleworms roam among the Palm worms and limpets at Mushroom, one of the hydrothermal vents at ASHES vent field on Axial Seamount. One worm shows its usual pinkish red color (at left), while the other is coated with a fur-like layer of filamentous bacteria. This image was taken with the RCA HD Video Camera during its test on the seafloor during VISIONS 13. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI, V14
These small sea spiders are Pycnogonids (Phylum Arthropoda) and live among the tube worms and limpets on hydrothermal vents of Axial Seamount. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/WHOI; V11
These small sea spiders are Pycnogonids (Phylum Arthropoda) and live among the tube worms and limpets on hydrothermal vents of Axial Seamount. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/WHOI; V11
The ~ 4 m tall chimney called Inferno in the ASHES hydrothermal field sprouts a very young (< 2 year old) fragile beehive. The beehive structure is composed of very fine-grained sulfide minerals and anhydrite. Lush assemblages of tube worms, palm worms and limpets grow on the outer walls of the edifice. VISIONS '13, LEG 4. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF
The ~ 4 m tall chimney called Inferno in the ASHES hydrothermal field sprouts a very young (< 2 year old) fragile beehive. The beehive structure is composed of very fine-grained sulfide minerals and anhydrite. Lush assemblages of tube worms, palm worms and limpets grow on the outer walls of the edifice. VISIONS '13, LEG 4. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF
Close-up view of a microbial experiment (tubes at right) being conducted by Harvard University. The experiment is located in a diffuse flow site, surrounded by limpets, small tube worms and palm worms. In part, this study is designed to look at microbial utilization of sulfur in these systems. The green lasers from the ROV ROPOS are 10 cm apart. VISIONS '13, Leg 4 Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF.
Close-up view of a microbial experiment (tubes at right) being conducted by Harvard University. The experiment is located in a diffuse flow site, surrounded by limpets, small tube worms and palm worms. In part, this study is designed to look at microbial utilization of sulfur in these systems. The green lasers from the ROV ROPOS are 10 cm apart. VISIONS '13, Leg 4 Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF.
Dense macrofaunal communities cover the actively venting black smoker edifice called El Guapo. Here, tube worms are covered with filamentous bacteria. Also in this area are blue ciliates, palm worms, and thick colonies of limpets.   Photo credit: OOI/UW/CSSF
Dense macrofaunal communities cover the actively venting black smoker edifice called El Guapo. Here, tube worms are covered with filamentous bacteria. Also in this area are blue ciliates, palm worms, and thick colonies of limpets.   Photo credit: OOI/UW/CSSF
Egress of nutrient-rich, warm diffuse flow fluids from the seafloor and from hydrothermal vents at Axial Seamount support dense and divers communities of tube worms (red plumes), limpets and microbes. Thick biofilms of white, filamentous bacteria commonly coat the outer casings of tube worms. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, V13.
Egress of nutrient-rich, warm diffuse flow fluids from the seafloor and from hydrothermal vents at Axial Seamount support dense and divers communities of tube worms (red plumes), limpets and microbes. Thick biofilms of white, filamentous bacteria commonly coat the outer casings of tube worms. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, V13.
The base of the small, 4 meter tall structure called Mushroom, is encased in a dense covering of tubeworms, palmworms, and limpets. Other life seen in this image includes  a sea anemone, and "spiders of the deep" called pycnogonids.
The base of the small, 4 meter tall structure called Mushroom, is encased in a dense covering of tubeworms, palmworms, and limpets. Other life seen in this image includes  a sea anemone, and "spiders of the deep" called pycnogonids.
Dense colonies of tubeworms, limpets and palm worms cover the outer walls of the blacksmoker chimney called Mushroom in the ASHES hydrothermal field on Axial Seamount. Credit; UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; V11.
Dense colonies of tubeworms, limpets and palm worms cover the outer walls of the blacksmoker chimney called Mushroom in the ASHES hydrothermal field on Axial Seamount. Credit; UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; V11.
Feathery blue cilliates thrive in a diffuse flow site at the base of the hydrothermal chimney "Escargot" in the International District hydrothermal field. Also visible in the background are limpets and snails and a red scale worm.
Feathery blue cilliates thrive in a diffuse flow site at the base of the hydrothermal chimney "Escargot" in the International District hydrothermal field. Also visible in the background are limpets and snails and a red scale worm.
Limpets covering the base of a hydrotherma vent on Axial Seamount
Limpets covering the base of a hydrotherma vent on Axial Seamount
Limpets on Escargot vent, Axial Seamount. Here, the limpet shells have been stained brown by hydrothermal deposits.
Limpets on Escargot vent, Axial Seamount. Here, the limpet shells have been stained brown by hydrothermal deposits.
Scale worms crawling around some limpets on the side of a chimney at ASHES vent field in Axial Caldera. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1197, V19
Scale worms crawling around some limpets on the side of a chimney at ASHES vent field in Axial Caldera. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1197, V19