Kathy Belling, age 12, of Hattiesburg, Miss., for her question:

WHERE DOES THE LIMPET LIVE?

A limpet is a small sea animal with a protective shell. It lives along rocky coasts in all parts of the world.

Most limpets are less than three inches long, but a west Mexican limpet may grow up to eight inches in length. Limpets are easy to find at low tide since their shells can be seen on exposed rocks.

A limpet's shell resembles a tiny, shallow bowl turned upside down. The shell completely covers each animal and protects it from hungry sea birds.

Beneath the shell, the limpet's foot, or powerful muscular organ, clamps its body firmly to the rock by suction. At high tide, the limpet moves over rocks in search of seaweeds. It gathers food into its mouth with a radula or long ribbonlike tongue which bears rows of teeth. Before the tide goes out, the limpet returns to its original resting place on the rock.