[2] Scutellastra cochlear is native to exposed coasts of South Africa where it forms dense colonies on rocks on the lower shore.

[1] Its range extends southwards from the mouth of the Orange River in the west of South Africa, round the three Cape Provinces and northwards to Durban on the east coast.

At low tide, when the limpet is exposed to the air, urea accumulates on the underside of the rim of its shell and diffuses out into the surrounding algae.

The limpet gets 85% of its nutritional needs by grazing on the coralline alga and leaves it in thin sheets with a damaged surface.

[7] The limpet is not present in the north of the alga's range and in these areas the algal sheets are much thicker and flabbier, and develop protuberances.