Homing to scars as a defense against predators in the pulmonate limpet Siphonaria gigas (Gastropoda)

Each individual Siphonaria gigas Sowerby 1825 has a permanent home site from which it forages. Fidelity of adult limpets to scars over a seven-month period was greater than 90%. The survival of limpets which were prevented from returning to home scars was less than that of those which were allowed to return to scars. Losses of scar-denied limpets decreased with time, as individuals abraded their shells to fit new home sites on the rock. Fish are the most likely agents in removing scarless, vulnerable S. gigas.