Flat periwinkle  (Littorina obtusata)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Biology

Breeding may take place throughout the year, but tends to reach a peak in spring and early summer (2). The sexes are separate (individuals are either male or female), and fertilisation occurs internally after copulation (2). The white egg masses are typically kidney-shaped or oval (3), and contain up to 280 eggs (2). They are usually laid on the fronds of the brown seaweeds on which the species feeds but may also occur on the rock surface (2). The crawling young hatch four weeks after the eggs are laid. The young periwinkles become sexually mature at around 2 years of age, and they typically live for a total of three years (2).

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