Indian Ocean, from East Africa to Indonesia; Red Sea and Persian Gulf; eastern Mediterranean (lessepsian; levantine coast, southern Turkey, west to Tunisia). Micrograzer in the mediolittoral, sticking to various hard substrates. Original taxon: Patella rota. Synonyms: variegata sensu Reeve, aster, chathamensis, karachiensis, pharaonis…
On rocks at low tide, Shavei Zion beach, south of Nahariya, NW. Israel. 19-20mm.
Sculpture made up of minute concentric folds crossed by subobsolete radial ribs (top image) – Microsculpture made of extremely thin radial and concentric grooves (bottom image).