This thesis is a report of the findings of two years of part-time work on the limpets of the family Acmaedae. The major portion of the work was done on the Monterey Peninsula between Point Pines, 36° 38' 30" N. latitude, 121° 56' 00" W. longitude, and Pescadero Point 30° 33' 40" N. latitude, 121° 56' 30" W. longitude. The work on homing in Acmaea persona, artificial parthenogenesis in the eggs of Acmaea pelta, and artifical insemination of the eggs of Acmaea pelta was carried on at the Pacific Marine Station, Dillon Beach, California at 38° 14' 30" N. latitude, 122&176; 58' 30" W. longitude during the summer of 1947.

Various studies indicate the acmaeid limpet species Collisella digitalis, Collisella pelta and Notoacmea scutum inhabit different vertical zones in the rocky-intertidal region. At Sunset Bay, Oregon, Shotwell (1950) found that C. digitalis was situated in the upper intertidal C. pelta inhabited the mid-intertidal and N. scutum was located in the mid to lower zone in the rocky-intertidal region. Frank (1965) observed the same distribution patterns at Coos Bay, Oregon as did the author in the rocky-intertidal region near Dillon Beach, California. Species distributions in the rocky-intertidal region are thought to be limited from above by physical stress and from below by predation or competition (Connell 1970; Dayton 1971; Vermeij 1972; Paine 1974; Bertness 1977). The purpose of the present study was to investigate effects of the predators Pisaster ochraceus, Cancer antennarius and Pachygrapsus crassipes on the distributions of the three acmaeid limpet species particularly with respect to their lower limits.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Stanford University, 2008. / Submitted to the Department of Biology. Copyright by the author. Includes bibliographical references (p. 183-205). Also available online.

No description available.

Two common limpets, Collis~ (Acmaea) digitalis and Collisella (Acmaea) scabra have overlapping distributions in the upper int.ertidal .spray zone. Haven (1971) found that Q. digitalis is more abundant on vertical surfaces while Q. scabra dominates horizontal surfaces. He assumed this preference to be due to differential abilities to withstand desiccation. In this study I report field work demonstrating a high correlation between the-ratio of abundance of Q. digitalis/ Q. scabra and angle of slope of substrate. Length (mm) of Q. scabra declines linearly with angle, but Q. digitalis shows no such trends. Results of laboratory measurements of angle of substrate and small and large members of the species do not alone explain the size distribution and abundance relationships found be·tween the two species in the field .• Although resistance to desiccation may play a part in determining distribution and abundance, especially in the upper intertidal, it is clear that other factors may be important, such as food resources. Fecal pellets were used as a technique to study food resource partioning. Limpet size and abundance is related to the availability of microalgae on a particular slope of substrate. Differences in the amount of movement between the two species may be. related to time and distance traveled in foraging for food. The ratio of abundances of these limpets and its relation to substrate angle needs to be studied from the point of view of competitive interactions with respect to food resource partioning, since these species seem to have tolerances to desiccation greatly exceeding environmental stress conditions.