Head to head
Antarctic Limpet vs Antarctic Scallop
Antarctic Limpet
VS Antarctic Scallop
Both molluscs are important Antarctic invertebrates, but they occupy very different habitats and survive very different challenges.
| Antarctic Limpet | Antarctic Scallop | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Nacella concinna | Adamussium colbecki |
| Classification | A grazing sea snail | A filter-feeding bivalve |
| Habitat | Intertidal and shallow subtidal rock | Continental shelf seafloor |
| Mobility | Clings tightly to rock | Can swim short distances by clapping its shell |
| Lifespan | Not documented as exceptionally long | Many decades |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Unknown | Unknown |
| Habitat type | Ocean, polar | Ocean, polar |
Antarctic Limpet vs Antarctic Scallop: common questions
Which one can swim, even briefly?
The Antarctic scallop can do this, swimming short distances by rapidly clapping its two shell valves together, an ability the rock-clinging Antarctic limpet does not share.
Which one lives longer?
The Antarctic scallop lives far longer, capable of surviving for many decades, a lifespan not documented to the same degree for the Antarctic limpet.
Which one is the dominant grazer of its habitat?
The Antarctic limpet holds this role, dominating grazing across much of the Antarctic intertidal and shallow subtidal zone, while the Antarctic scallop instead is a filter feeder rather than a grazer.