Biodiversity of patellid gastropods and related species

The aim of the present research is to make an inventory of the various limpet species and species that resemble limpets but belong to other closely related families colonizing part of the Algerian west coast. From a total of 322 individuals sampled in 2016 at four sites, we determined a total richness of 7 species: 5 species of the Patellidae family, plus one species of the Siphonariidae family and one species of the Fissurellidae family. The most abundant species in our study area is Patella rustica, and the rarest is Patella ulyssiponensis. Sbiaat Island has the highest Shannon-Weaver Diversity Index, making it richer in biodiversity than the other sites studied. It is difficult to explain the differences observed in the distribution and composition of the biodiversity of limpet species and related species, but some answers may be found by considering the impact of physical habitats and trophic flows in subsequent studies. Key words: Inventory, limpets, Algerian west coast.