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At latest count there are 5 indigenous species of Littorina winkles1 inhabiting the wave-splash areas of west-coast shores. The largest is Littorina sitkana and the smallest is L. subrotundata, with 3 intermediate-sized species Littorina scutulata2, L. plena, and L. keenae. Two other Littorina species L. littorea and L. saxatilis3 are known from introductions from the Atlantic coast into the San Francisco Bay region, but these have limited distributions. NOTE1 “winkle” is a common shortened version of “periwinkle”. References to “perwyncles” and “pennywinkles” in English writings date from the early 16th C. Our west-coast species are too tiny to eat, but one or two of the Atlantic-coast species are quite large and tasty. Winkle-pickers in Britain and other Atlantic-coast countries, including North America, have been practising their trade for centuries. Some 19 species of Littorina are recorded from north Pacific and Atlantic oceans NOTE2 the featured snail in the ODYSSEY is a member of this species NOTE3 in 1993 researchers discovered a population of an Atlantic-coast species Littorina saxatilis in San Francisco Bay, California that seemed to be well established. The probable method of introduction is thought to have been as incidental travellers with the masses of east-coast brown seaweeds Ascophyllum and Fucus used as packing for shipments of baitworms and/or lobsters from Maine. The researchers note the discovery of 2 other littorinid species L. littorea and L. obtusata imported with baitworms into the San Francisco Bay area but add that, unlike L. saxatilis, neither appears to have established a permanent colony. |
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Phylum Mollusca (lit. “soft” or “shellfish” L.)
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