Outside of left valve
Species
Photographer / copyright holder
Steve Wilkinson
Specimen collected from Tenby. Length = 20mm.
Spisula elliptica
<em>Spisula elliptica</em> (Brown, 1827)
Outside of right valve
Species
Photographer / copyright holder
Steve Wilkinson
Specimen collected from Dublin. Length = 21mm.
Outside of right valve
Species
Photographer / copyright holder
Steve Wilkinson
Specimen collected by Celia Paine from Dawlish. Length = 16mm.
Outside of left valve
Species
Photographer / copyright holder
Steve Wilkinson
Specimen collected by Celia Paine from Dawlish. Length = 16mm.
Outside of left valve
Species
Photographer / copyright holder
Steve Wilkinson
Specimen collected by Celia Paine. Length = 21mm.
Outside of left valve
Species
Photographer / copyright holder
Steve Wilkinson
Specimen collected by Celia Paine. Length = 18mm.
Inside of left valve
Species
Photographer / copyright holder
Steve Wilkinson
Specimen collected by Celia Paine. Length = 18mm.
Inside of left valve
Species
Photographer / copyright holder
Steve Wilkinson
Specimen collected by Celia Paine. Length = 18mm.
Spisula elliptica
Distribution and status
Common
Distributed from the Barents Sea to the English Channel.
Ecology and behaviour
urrows in muddy sand and gravel where it filters phytoplankton.
Similar species
- Spisula solida has a 'V' shaped projection that does not extend half way down the hinge plate
Key identification features
- 'V' shaped projection of teeth reaches more than half way down the hinge plate
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000178116]
Sort order
10390
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
Solid or brittle shell up to about 3cm in length. The outside is dirty white in colour and is white inside. The pallial sinus reaches to about half way along the lateral tooth. The surface is sculptured with concentric rings.