Shinkailepas kaikatensis
Shinkailepas kaikatensis
Shinkailepas kaikatensis is a small sea snail, also called a false limpet, that lives on rocks near hydrothermal vents. It belongs to the family Phenacolepadidae.
Discovery
It was first described in 1989 by Okutani, Saito and Hashimoto.
Where it lives
These snails occur on rock surfaces at hydrothermal vents at East Diamante seamount, west-southwest of Farallon de Medinilla, in the Mariana Islands. The vent is less than 200 meters deep.
Size and eggs
Adults reach about 2 cm (0.75 in) long. White egg capsules can be seen on the rocks and on the shells.
Taxonomy (summary)
Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Mollusca; Class: Gastropoda; Order: Cycloneritida; Family: Phenacolepadidae; Genus: Shinkailepas; Species: S. kaikatensis. Binomial name: Shinkailepas kaikatensis (Okutani, Saito & Hashimoto, 1989).
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 03:16 (CET).