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Littorina sitkana

Littorina sitkana Philippi, 1846

Boom

A few months from now the population will peak – and then begin to die off as the upper intertidal ‘dries out’ from the summer sunshine and low day times tides

‘Homers’

L. sitkana is ‘different’ in that it does not put its reproduction into the plankton but places young in cases in upper tidal pools—thus every colony sustains itself and may be expected to evolve to ‘fit’ local conditions

Both of these images are from same original picture; I see 3 different sizes in image left; and perhaps a fourth (inside the circle) ---- Here is Movie of copulators in hand -- waving at us-- (500K WMF)

April 8th

This image taken same time as the above – the periwinkles are mainly below the dashed white line—in retrospect they might be moving towards the pools

Looks like almost all the adults have stopped eating and moved to the tidal pools – presumably to lay egg cases

Orgy??

Reproduction here too

While the numbers are nowhere near those on the south island “heartland” the periwinkles on Main island are also copulating in tidal pools; this pool interesting as diatoms cover bottom of pool except in area of the periwinkles (inside the yellow circle)