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The Distribution Of The Ornate Limpet

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Biology report
Aim of this investigation
The aim of this investigation is to look at the distribution of the ornate limpet, (Cellana Ornata) and the radiate limpet (Cellana Radians) on the rocky shore. We went to the rocky shore of Sirens rocks between Island Bay and Owhiro Bay, on Wellington’s South Coast. We are studying how our chosen organisms affect each other’s distribution patterns. We sampled in the low tide zone, mid tide zone, and high tide zone. The rocky shore we explored was 80 metre long, rocky terrain, bare rock platforms with rock gulley’s.

Description of limpets
Limpets have conical shells. The limpets that are situated higher up on the shore tend to have taller shells than those on the lower shore. The underside of the limpet has a muscular ‘foot’ on which the limpet moves around on.

Identification of organisms
Radiate limpets are identified by their flatter shells than the ornate limpet shells. Radiate limpets can have 20-25 smooth low radial ribs. In the North Island the ribs are more indistinct and maybe absent, the shell has radial streaks of brown and white. In the South Island the shells are dark grey with fine radial lines. Ornate limpets are identified by their radiating black bands with a row of white specks.

Biology of organisms
An ecological niche refers to an organism’s way of life - where it lives, its habitat, how it lives there and its adaptions. The radiate limpet lives in the low tide zone of the rocky platforms whereas the ornate

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