Solid, almost round shell up to about 4cm across. Dirty white to light brown in colour and generally plain (no additional rays or streaks). Sculpture of fine concentric ridges and faint radiating lines and an almost silky lustre. Three cardinal teeth in each valve and single lateral tooth in left valve. Mantle tubes united throughout.
Key identification features
- Pallial sinus forming a triangular indentation
- Sculpture of fine concentric ridges giving a silky lustre
- Margin of shell forms three fifths of a circle (posterior edge 'cut away')
Similar species
- Dosinia exoleta is larger, less smooth, and almost completely round
Ecology and behaviour
Burrows deeply in sand (sometimes mixed with mud) and shell gravel. Feeds by filtering phytoplankton.
Distribution and status
Widely distributed.
Occurs from the north of Norway to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean.
The map provided here shows the distribution of the species based on Conchological Society data.