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Similipecten similis

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Distribution and status

UncommonDistributed from northern Norway to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean.

Ecology and behaviour

Lives on muddy sand to fine gravel where it feeds by filtering phytoplankton.

Key identification features
  • The ears of the left valve are equal and almost equal on right valve
  • Shell without ribs; only fine concentric and radiating lines
  • Right valve is smaller than the left
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177975]
Sort order
9720
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Similipecten similis

Thin, fragile, shell up to 1cm in length. It is white, yellow, grey or light brown in colour sometimes displaying irregular patterns. The surface lacks ribs but is sculptured with fine concentric and radiating lines.

Semierycina nitida

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Distribution and status

FrequentDistributed from the Norwegian Sea to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean

Ecology and behaviour

Burrows in gravelly sand.

Key identification features
  • Surface sculptured with fine concentric lines
  • The right valve has two anterior and two posterior lateral teeth
  • Pits on the surface of the shell near the beak
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177920]
Sort order
9980
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Semierycina nitida

Fragile shell up to 3mm in length. The shell, both outside and inside, is whote to translucent in colour. The surface is sculptured with fine concentric lines.

Scrobicularia plana

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Distribution and status

Common. From Norwegian Sea and Baltic down to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean.

Ecology and behaviour

Burrows to a depth of about 25cm in clay or soft mud often generally in areas of reduced salinity such as fjords or estuaries. Often occurs in great abundances.

Key identification features
  • Possesses internal ligament or chondrophore
  • No lateral teeth
  • Relatively coarse sculpture of concentric rings on shell surface
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177880]
Sort order
10860
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Scrobicularia plana

Solid shell, but thin, up to about 6 cm in length. Shell not glossy and grey, light yellow or light brown in colour. Surface of shell is sculptured with irregular concentric lines. Pallial sinus relatively deep and its edge is partially confluent with the pallial line.

Saxicavella jeffreysi

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Distribution and status

UncommonDistributed from te north of Norway to the Mediterranean

Ecology and behaviour

Burrows in sand, sandy mud or gravel.

Key identification features
  • Pallial line is continuous
  • ?two concentric ridges
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177807]
Sort order
11190
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Saxicavella jeffreysi

Fragile shell up to 1cm in length. The shell is coloured white both outside and inside? The surface is sculptured with fine concentric lines.

Puncturella noachina

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Distribution and status

Uncommon

Distributed from the north of Norway to the north of the British Isles and the North Sea.

Ecology and behaviour

Unknown - may be a grazer or detritivore

Similar species
  • Diodora graeca has a keyhole shaped opening on the apex
Key identification features
  • Slit like hole in front of apex
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177597]
Sort order
590
Taxonomic group
Marine snail
  • Read more about Puncturella noachina

Conical shell up to 7mm in length (4mm in height). The shell is white or cream in colour.The surface is sculptured with 19-25 radial ridges. Note that there is a small septum below the slit which partially blocks the hole.

Pseudamussium septemradiatum

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Key identification features
  • The ears of the upper valve are nearly equal
  • Less than 10 radiating ribs on the valve surface
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177541]
Sort order
9680
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Pseudamussium septemradiatum

Brittle shell up to 5cm in length. It is brick red or brown in colour mottled with white and occasionally completely white. The surface is primarily sculptured with a few radiating ribs but also has less obvious radiating and concentric lines.

Pododesmus patelliformis

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Distribution and status

Widely distributedDistributed from Norway south to the Mediterranean

Ecology and behaviour

Lives on bottoms of coarse sand and gravel attached to rocks or other shells.

Key identification features
  • There are two distinct muscle scars on the upper valve
  • The muscle scars are furrowed
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177312]
Sort order
9760
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Pododesmus patelliformis

Fragile shell up to 4cm in length. It is white in colour sometimes with brown markings. The interior is glossy white. The surface is sculptured with 'fluted' ribs ? Wavey?

Phaxas pellucidus

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Distribution and status

Distributed from northern Norway and the Baltic south to the Iberian Peninsula.

Ecology and behaviour

Burrows in fine sand or muddy sand offshore or occasionally at extreme low water.

Similar species
  • Pharus legumen has more cylindrical outline
Key identification features
  • Shell has one straight side and one obviously curved side
  • Posterior adductor muscle scar meets the pallial sinus
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177113]
Sort order
10560
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Phaxas pellucidus
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Roughly rectangular shell with rounded corners up to about 4cm in length. White or cream in colour sometimes with red-brown streaks. Periostracum yellow-green. Surface sculptured with fine concentric lines and very fine, serrated, radiating lines in the anterior half. Growth stages clear.

Pharus legumen

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Distribution and status

Distributed from the south of the UK to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean.

Ecology and behaviour

Lives in clean sand.

Similar species
  • Phaxas pellucidus has one very straight and one curved side
Key identification features
  • Elongate shell; almost cylindrical in outline
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177107]
Sort order
10550
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Pharus legumen
  • Log in or register to post comments

Up to about 13cm in length. White or fawn in colour with light yellow or light green periostracum. Shell sculptured with fine concentric lines.

Petricola pholadiformis

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Distribution and status

Alien

Recorded from the south of Norway to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Feeds by filtering phytoplankton from the water.

Ecology and behaviour

Bores into hard clay, stiff mud or chalk/limestone. Probably imported with the American Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) at the end of the 19th century but is now well established.

Similar species
  • Barnea candida has very prominent cardinal teeth in the hinge
Key identification features
  • Left valve has three cardinal teeth; right valve has two none of which are long
  • Brittle shell with fine concentric ridges
  • Shell almost completely closes at anterior and posterior ends
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177086]
Sort order
11080
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Petricola pholadiformis

Brittle shell up to about 6cm in length and white to fawn in colour. Valve surface covered with fine concentric ridged and strong radiating ribs somes very coarse and bearing spines. Margin smooth except where the larger ribs meet it. Three cardinal teeth in left valve; right valve has two. Note - not typical of the Veneracea more like Pholadidae (piddocks) but lacks the very prominent cardinal teeth typical of piddocks.

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