Biology
Lottia gigantea © O Caro
Size
L. gigantea individuals are capable of reaching lengths of over 110mm according to historical museum specimens (Roy et al. 2003; Fenberg 2008). However, individuals of this size are extremely rare today due to extensive size-selective harvesting.
Growth
Growth rate of L. gigantea is partially dependent on:
- Habitat heterogeneity (e.g. rugosity of rocky substrate)
- Intraspecific density
Slower growth generally occurs with high habitat heterogeneity and high intraspecific density.
Genetics
Lottia gigantea was recently chosen for whole genome sequencing by the Joint Genome Institute.