Species profile
Atlantic Kitten's Paw
Plicatula gibbosa
At a glance
Atlantic Kitten's Paw (Plicatula gibbosa) is a bivalve mollusk present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
Confirmed by 1,292 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Florida, North Carolina, and Alabama the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- A small bivalve rarely exceeding 2.5 cm, with thick deeply ridged shells resembling a paw print.
- Permanently cements its lower valve to hard surfaces like shells, rocks, and coral rubble.
- Found from North Carolina south through the Gulf of Mexico and into Brazil.
- Deep radiating ribs provide strength to withstand wave action and predation pressure.
- Often settles in clusters on the shells of larger mollusks or encrusting bryozoans.
Where Atlantic Kitten's Paw are seen
Background
Plicatula gibbosa, or the Atlantic kitten's paw, is a species of bivalve mollusc in the family Plicatulidae. It can be found along the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from North Carolina to the West Indies.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Atlantic Kitten's Paw article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other clams/oysters/mussels on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.