Spring is a good time to be in Calgary.  I spent two years just a bit north
of there in Edmonton with lots of trips further north (all the way to Alert
if you happen to look for it).  Andrew, I would advise warmer climes before
October.

Anyway, Septaria, like all other animals except us, tend to ignore all of
the books and great wisdom written about them, thus doing what they please,
even if not what they should.  Septaria seem designed to handle strong
currents and are indeed often found in such, but like Andrew mentioned, can
be found in turbid conditions.  There is some evidence of a difference in
shell shape in different water types.  This certainly is the case concerning
where they habitually rest with those on reeds and other plants along the
water's edge are much more elongated (enough to garner a few synonymous
names).  One of the reasons I believe they are easier to lift from the
substrate than a similarly sized limpet is the septa from which they get
their name.  This is formed across the lower portion of their body (where
the columella would be if they were a standard coiled snail).  The area
behind the septa contains the early "whorls" and provides a handy place to
use in prying them off of a rock.

For others on the list, Septaria (a limpet-like nerite) are all covered with
a dark brown periostracum (rarely yellow), some with black designs.  Andrew
found the only really colorful specimens (S. livida) in his collecting
forays in Fiji.  While most were indeed darn brown, almost black, he found
some that when cleaned were lavender (with and without a pattern) and yellow
and brown.  All nicely colored and thankfully he recorded images so I could
use them (plus a bunch of nerites he sent me).

Tom Eichhorst in New Mexico, USA (where we are having yet another afternoon
thunderstorm.  Lots of noise and wind, but all of the rain swung east of us
to the mountains)

-----Original Message-----
From: Conchologists List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
Andrew Grebneff
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2007 3:29 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Help With Neritidae


> Septaria tend to live in areas of swift current, often below
> waterfalls,
> thus the tenacity in holding onto the glass and probably the lack of
> doing as well in an aquarium.

Tom, my Septaria from Nadi, Fiji were living in turbid & slow current, on
boulders set in mud (surrounded by Thiara).

They do indeed grip well, but not nearly as tenaciously as patellids or
acmaeids. I could always get them off by hand, without damaging the
apertural margins.

Regards
Andrew
(temporarily in Calgary, Alberta)

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