Stefan Verheyen, Niederlande
Info
Littorina fabalis (W. Turton, 1825)
Littorina fabalis is a marine gastropod in the family Littorinidae, commonly known as the periwinkles. Members of the family have a robust shell without an umbilicus and without a siphonal canal. They have a thin, horny operculum to close the housing opening. Periwinkles are found in cold, temperate and warm waters around the world and live in the shore area and feed on algae.
The flat periwinkle Littorina fabalis lives in the intertidal zone, especially on rocky coasts. The following colors are very variable: olive green, brown and yellow, but red mussels have also been reported.
There is a possibility of confusion with the periwinkle Littorina obtusata, which occurs in the same distribution area. The shell of Littorina fabalis is more flattened than that of Littorina obtusata. The length of the Littorina fabalis rarely exceeds 12 mm. A reliable distinction between the two types is probably only possible by experts.
The periwinkle is host to numerous parasites:
Cercaria islandica
Microphallus piriformes
Microphallus pseudopygmaeus
Microphallus pygmaeus
Microphallus similis
Podocotyl atom
Renicola roscovita
Synonymised names
Litorina arctica var. retusa Møller, 1842 · unaccepted
Litorina limata Lovén, 1846 · unaccepted
Litorina vittata R. A. Philippi, 1848 · unaccepted
Littorina beanii MacGillivray, 1843 · unaccepted
Littorina bizonalis Récluz, 1869 · unaccepted
Littorina fabula Kobelt, 1907 · unaccepted
Littorina mariae Sacchi & Rastelli, 1966 · unaccepted (synonym)
Littorina mariae beeensis S. M. Smith, 1980 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Littorina obtusata littoralis var. inversicolorreticulata Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1915 · unaccepted
Littorina obtusata littoralis var. minima Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1915 · unaccepted
Littorina obtusata littoralis var. pachychila Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1915 · unaccepted
Littorina obtusata littoralis var. reticulata Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1915 · unaccepted
Littorina obtusata littoralis var. ziczac Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1915 · unaccepted
Littorina obtusata var. compacta Jeffreys, 1865 · unaccepted (dubious syn.)
Littorina obtusata var. picta Menke, 1845 · unaccepted (synonym)
Littorina vadorum Sacchi, 1984 · unaccepted
Turbo expansus T. Brown, 1839 † · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Turbo fabalis W. Turton, 1825 · unaccepted
Littorina fabalis is a marine gastropod in the family Littorinidae, commonly known as the periwinkles. Members of the family have a robust shell without an umbilicus and without a siphonal canal. They have a thin, horny operculum to close the housing opening. Periwinkles are found in cold, temperate and warm waters around the world and live in the shore area and feed on algae.
The flat periwinkle Littorina fabalis lives in the intertidal zone, especially on rocky coasts. The following colors are very variable: olive green, brown and yellow, but red mussels have also been reported.
There is a possibility of confusion with the periwinkle Littorina obtusata, which occurs in the same distribution area. The shell of Littorina fabalis is more flattened than that of Littorina obtusata. The length of the Littorina fabalis rarely exceeds 12 mm. A reliable distinction between the two types is probably only possible by experts.
The periwinkle is host to numerous parasites:
Cercaria islandica
Microphallus piriformes
Microphallus pseudopygmaeus
Microphallus pygmaeus
Microphallus similis
Podocotyl atom
Renicola roscovita
Synonymised names
Litorina arctica var. retusa Møller, 1842 · unaccepted
Litorina limata Lovén, 1846 · unaccepted
Litorina vittata R. A. Philippi, 1848 · unaccepted
Littorina beanii MacGillivray, 1843 · unaccepted
Littorina bizonalis Récluz, 1869 · unaccepted
Littorina fabula Kobelt, 1907 · unaccepted
Littorina mariae Sacchi & Rastelli, 1966 · unaccepted (synonym)
Littorina mariae beeensis S. M. Smith, 1980 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Littorina obtusata littoralis var. inversicolorreticulata Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1915 · unaccepted
Littorina obtusata littoralis var. minima Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1915 · unaccepted
Littorina obtusata littoralis var. pachychila Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1915 · unaccepted
Littorina obtusata littoralis var. reticulata Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1915 · unaccepted
Littorina obtusata littoralis var. ziczac Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1915 · unaccepted
Littorina obtusata var. compacta Jeffreys, 1865 · unaccepted (dubious syn.)
Littorina obtusata var. picta Menke, 1845 · unaccepted (synonym)
Littorina vadorum Sacchi, 1984 · unaccepted
Turbo expansus T. Brown, 1839 † · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Turbo fabalis W. Turton, 1825 · unaccepted
