About Nucella emarginata (Deshayes, 1839)
Nucella emarginata (Deshayes, 1839) is a carnivorous gastropod that inhabits rocky intertidal environments. It preys on a range of sessile and sedentary species, including barnacles, mussels, and limpets. Adult shells of this species can grow to between 25 mm and 30 mm in size. This species resides in mid-intertidal zones, and is often found living among mussels such as Mytilus californianus. Nucella emarginata was formerly classified as N. ostrina. The two species were distinguished from one another in 1990, based on shell morphology, reproductive compatibility, and genetic sequencing. Currently, Nucella emarginata is recognized to have a distribution ranging from Fort Point, California to Pacific Mexico.
