Melarhaphe neritoides facts for kids
The small periwinkle, also known as Melarhaphe neritoides, is a tiny sea snail. It's a type of mollusc that lives in the ocean, belonging to a group called gastropods. These snails are part of the Littorinidae family, which includes other snails called winkles or periwinkles.
This snail used to be called Littorina neritoides. The group it belongs to, Melarhaphe, is special because the small periwinkle is the only species in it!
Quick facts for kids Melarhaphe neritoides |
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Contents
What the Small Periwinkle Looks Like
This snail is very small. An adult shell is usually between 4 and 9 millimeters long. That's less than half an inch!
It has a tall, pointed top part called a spire. The opening of its shell, called the aperture, is dark and shaped like an oval. You can often see a purple-brown spiral band on the main part of its shell.
Where Small Periwinkles Live
The small periwinkle lives on rocky shores. You can find it on both natural rocks and man-made structures. They live high up on the shore, almost at the very top where the highest tides reach. In these areas, they can be very common. Sometimes, they are the only sea snail you'll find there!
These snails eat tiny bits of food called detritus. They also feed on black lichen, which is a type of plant-like growth, from the genus Lichina.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Small periwinkles lay their eggs in late winter. Their egg capsules float in the water. These capsules then release tiny larvae that also float around as part of the plankton.
Where to Find Them
You can find this snail in many places around Europe. They live in the Atlantic Ocean near Norway, the Azores, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Morocco, and Mauritania. They also live in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.
