Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve, Big Sur Coastline
Monterey Co., CA – March 9, 2002

The owl limpet, Lottia gigantea, is territorial, protecting its carpet of microalgae
from other organisms. It is also a sequential hermaphrodite, with large individuals
such as this one almost certainly females, while smaller "satellite" males lurk
on the periphery of a female's territory.

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Image by D.J. Eernisse © 2002