APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

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Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- dorsal view in-situ 1

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- dorsal view in-situ 2

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- dorsal view adult snail 1

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- lateral view adult snail 1

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- lateral view adult snail 2

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- close-up of vent 1

The adult specimen above was found in a small crevice under an overhang on the shallow sublittoral at Albert Pier reef, Penzance, Cornwall. 19.10.16.

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- on Hymeniacidon perlevis 1

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- on Hymeniacidon perlevis 2

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- close-up of vent 2

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- with 1.0mm division rule 1

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- underside / foot 1

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- head 1

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- head 2

The 32mm long specimen above was found on its food, the sponge Hymeniacidon perlevis, in a crevice on an extra low tide at Albert Pier reef, Penzance, Cornwall. 30.03.18.

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- shell dorsal view 1

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- collection of shells 1

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- shell 1

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- shell 2

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- live animal 1

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- live animal 2

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- live animal 3

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- live animal / lateral view 1

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- live animal / lateral view 2

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- live animal / foot 1

Common keyhole limpet
Diodora graeca
- live animal / foot 2

The Keyhole Limpet is often overlooked on the beach because of its size, being much smaller than the Common Limpet, but differs in the small keyhole found in the top of the shell. It feeds on sponges on the lowershore and below but is frequently washed up. Commonly found at Crinnis Beach and long the south coast of the county.

Images of shells taken at the east end of Crinis Beach (Carlyon Bay), near St. Austell, Cornwall. Images of live animals taken at Spit Point, Par, near St. Austell, Cornwall.

Scientific and European Names:
Diodora graeca, Diodora apertura, Common keyhole limpet, Keyhole limpet, Gewone sleutelgathoren, Sleutelgathoren, Fissurelle.

The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help

people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.