Littorina sitkana

Littorina sitkana is a species of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Littorinidae, the winkles. It is commonly found in the high tidal zone and the splash zone.

Littorina sitkana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Littorinimorpha
Family:	Littorinidae
Genus:	Littorina
Species:	L. sitkana
Binomial name
Littorina sitkana Philippi, 1846
Synonyms[1]
Litorina gouldiana Weinkauff, 1882 Litorina sitchana Philippi, 1847 Litorina sitkana (Philippi, 1846) Litorina sitkana var. atkana Dall, 1886 Litorina sulcata Carpenter, 1864 Litorina terebrosa (Montagu, 1803) Litorina terebrosa f. depressior Schrenk, 1867 Litorina terebrosa var. albida Schrenk, 1867 Litorina terebrosa var. fasciata Schrenk, 1867 Litorina terebrosa var. fusca Schrenk, 1867 Litorina terebrosa var. laevigata Schrenk, 1867 Littorina castanea A. Adams & Reeve, 1850 Littorina cincta Gould, 1847 Littorina kurila Middendorff, 1848 Littorina kurila var. costulata Middendorff, 1851 Littorina kurila var. fasciatus Middendorff, 1851 Littorina kurila var. fuscus Middendorff, 1851 Littorina kurila var. griseolacteus Middendorff, 1851 Littorina kurila var. zonatus Middendorff, 1851 Littorina sitchana (Philippi, 1847) Littorina sitchana var. castaneus Middendorff, 1849 Littorina sitchana var. zonatus Middendorff, 1849 Littorina sitchensis Nevill, 1885 Littorina subtenebrosa Middendorff, 1848 Melarhaphe zelandiae Finlay, 1927[citation needed]

Description

var. zonata

The shell of this winkle has about ten coarse spiral ribs on the last whorl, and has fine spiral microstriae in the gaps between the ribs. Occasionally this ribbing may be missing or it may be ribbed only at the base. The species with which it is most likely to be confused is Littorina subrotundata and comparison of the capsule gland of the pallial oviduct is the best way to distinguish between them.^[2]

Distribution

The native range of L. sitkana is the coasts of Siberia, Japan and the Pacific coast of North America extending from Alaska to Oregon.^[2]