Becoming a limpet: An 'intermittent limpetization' process driven by host features in the kleptoparasitic gastropod family Capulidae

摘要

A coiled shell is the most evident feature of the typical Bauplan of a gastropod mollusc. However, at least 54 families independently evolved an apparently simplified shell morphology: the limpet. Species with this largely uncoiled, depressed shell morphology occur in almost every aquatic habitat and are associated to a number of different lifestyles and diets. The marine gastropod family Capulidae includes 18 recognised genera, the large majority of which are coiled, but with a number of limpet-like species. Capulid shell plasticity is also associated to a broad range of feeding ecologies, from obligate suspension feeders to kleptoparasites.