Cerastoderma edule | The Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland

<em>Cerastoderma edule</em> (Linnaeus, 1758)

Cerastoderma edule. Right valves of extremely large Orkney specimen, 75.0mm long, and marketable Cheshire specimen, 23.9mm long. Small specimen raised above plane of larger shell’s outline to put in focus, so its apparent size relatively increased.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Left valve of extremely large live-taken C. edule specimen; 75.0mm long, intervalve-width 49.6mm, shell mass 68g. Ribs broad with wave-shape scale-spines. Narrow groove between ribs. Early growth lines eroded, later ones crowded, >10 yrs? Orkney.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Right valve of very large live-taken specimen; 68.3mm long, intervalve-width 49.4mm, shell mass 67g. Brown periostracum retained between close scale-spines and ribs on recent stages. Earlier sculpture eroded. Orkney

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Anterior and posterior of very large live-taken specimen; 68.3mm long, intervalve-width 49.4mm, shell mass 67g. Brown periostracum retained between close scale-spines and ribs on recent stages. Earlier sculpture eroded. Orkney

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Shell length 23.9mm. Anterior and posterior ends. External ligament on posterior. 6 or 7 annual growth lines visible on anterior, others may be crowded and indistinct. Dee Estuary, Chesh. Oct. 2011.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Right valve, length 23.9mm. 6 or 7 annual growth lines visible. Scale-like spines on ribs partly eroded. Dee Estuary, Chesh. Oct. 2011.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Shell length 22.9mm. Hinge of right (upper image) and left valves. 2 cardinal teeth centrally in each valve. Right valve; 2 anterior and 2 posterior lateral teeth. Left valve; single anterior and posterior lateral tooth. Dee Estuary.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Shell length 22.9mm. Ribs extend inside shell to faint pallial line running parallel to margin. Adductor scar at each end of pallial line. No pallial sinus (indentation in line). Mouth of Dee Estuary, Cheshire. October 2011.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Shell length 22.9mm, height 21.7mm; marketable size in most areas of S. Britain. Slightly elongated circular outline. 24 ribs, bear many straight or slightly curved transverse scale-like spines. Mouth of Dee Estuary, Chesh. Oct. 2011

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Ctenidium (gill) folded into 4 lamellae (layers), W in cross section. Fine mesh of fused filaments just visible if picture magnified to maximum. Used for respiration and filtering food particles.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

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