Solid shell up to 5cm in length. It is dirty white to yellow in colour but this is generally obscured by the brown periostracum. The inside of the shell is white. In perfect speciimens the surface is sculptured with ridges but these are often worn away.
Key identification features
- Ventral margin has wide gape for byssus threads
- All the teeth on the hinge plate are of a similar size
Ecology and behaviour
Lives attached by byssus threads amongst rocks or crevices.
Distribution and status
Widely distributed. Distributed from Norway south to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean.
The map provided here shows the distribution of the species based on Conchological Society data.