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Mactra glauca

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

Rare

Distributed from the south of Britain to the Mediterranean

Ecology and behaviour

Burrows in clean sand where it filter feeds on phytoplankton. If exposed by the tide it burrows deeper (to about 7cm)

Similar species
  • Mactra stultorum has the anterior cardinal tooth in right valve almost parallel to hinge line
Key identification features
  • The anterior cardinal tooth of the right valve is not parallel with the hinge line
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176333]
Sort order
10370
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Mactra glauca

Glossy shell up to about 11cm in length. Creamy white in colour with pale brown radiating rays. The inside is white tinted with pale brown. The surface is sculptured with fine concentric rings and is covered with a satin brown periostracum.

Macoma balthica

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

CommonNorway south to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Baltic Sea.

Ecology and behaviour

Found in mud, muddy sand and muddy gravel where it can occur in densities up to about 2000 per square metre. Lies burried on its side with long sipons protruding. Able to tolerate reduced salinities and as result in often common in estuaries.

Key identification features
  • Solid shell
  • Globular when viewed from the end
  • Lower margin of pallial line confluent with the pallial sinus
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176315]
Sort order
10660
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Macoma balthica

Solid shell up to about 2.5 cm in length. Colour variable including white, yellow and pink, usually with darker concentric bands. Surface smooth and glossy with very fine concentric lines.

Lutraria magna

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

Distributed from the south of Britain to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean

Ecology and behaviour

Mainly burrows in shell gravel where it filters phytoplankton.

Key identification features
  • Lower margin of pallial sinus is confluent with the pallial line
  • The anterior cardinal tooth of right valve is longitudinally bifid
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176301]
Sort order
10460
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Lutraria magna
  • Log in or register to post comments

Solid shell up to about 13cm in length. The shell gapes at each end. It is white, yellow or fawn in colour and the inside is white. ?The surface of the shell is sculptured with fine concentric rings and ridges?. Pallial sinus is deep. ? Mention V shaped projection?

Lutraria lutraria

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

CommonDistributed from the Norwegian Sea to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean.

Ecology and behaviour

Burrows in sand, sandy mud and gravel smetimes to a depth of a few feet. It has long siphons that allow it to continue to filter feed from this depth. It is particularly common in the muddy bottoms of estuaries.

Key identification features
  • The lower margin of the pallial sinus is not confluent with the pallial line
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176300]
Sort order
10450
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Lutraria lutraria

Solid shell up to about 13cm in length. The shell gapes at each end. It is white, yellow or fawn in colour and the inside is white. The surface of the shell is sculptured with fine concentric rings and ridges. Pallial sinus is deep.

Lutraria angustior

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

Distributed from the English Channel south to the Mediterranean

Ecology and behaviour

Burrows in muddy sand or gravel where it filters phytoplankton.

Key identification features
  • Lower margin of pallial sinus is confluent with the pallial line
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176299]
Sort order
10440
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Lutraria angustior
  • Log in or register to post comments

Solid shell up to about 10cm in length. The outside is dirty white in colour; the inside is white. The shell gapes at both ends. The surface is sculptured with fine concentric rings. The pallial sinus is relatively deep.

Limatula sulcata

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Ecology and behaviour

Lives on mud or sandy mud where it filters phytoplankton?

Key identification features
  • Surface is sculptured with 30 or more radiating ribs
  • The shell is symmetrical around the beak.
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176150]
Sort order
9510
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Limatula sulcata

Thin shell up to 1.5cm in length. The shell is translucent but this is obscured by the dirty white or cream periostracum. The surface of the shell is sculptured with radiating ribs and concentric lines. When alive the animal displays obvious pink tentacles.

Limatula subauriculata

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Ecology and behaviour

Lives on mud, sand or gravel bottoms where it feeds by filtering phytoplankton.

Key identification features
  • The shell is symmetrical around the beak.
  • Surface is sculptured with less than 24 radiating ribs
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176149]
Sort order
9490
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Limatula subauriculata

Thin shell up to 6mm in length. The shell is white in colour but obscured by cream coloured periostracum. The surface of the shell is sculptured with radiating ribs (the largest of which is the niddle one) and concentric lines.

Limaria loscombi

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

Not commonDistributed from Norway south to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean.

Ecology and behaviour

This species prefers bottoms of muddy sand or gravel. Its orange tentacles which cannot be withdrawn make it vulnerable to predation and as a result is either lives in a chamber sunk into the sediment or in a nest bound together using byssus threads.

Key identification features
  • 40 to 60 radiating ribs
  • The valves do not gape, or do so only slightly
  • The shell is not symmetrical around the beak
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176147]
Sort order
9470
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Limaria loscombi

Thin shell up to 2cm in length. The shell is translucent white in colour. The surface is sculptured with radiating ribs and fine concentric lines.

Limaria hians

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

LocalDistributed from the Lofoten Islands to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean.

Ecology and behaviour

This species prefers bottoms of coarse sand or gravel. The orange tentacles cannot be withdrawn potentially making it quite vulnerable to predation and as a result it often lives in a 'nest'. Thiscan be up to 25cm across and is knitted together using byssus threads. Filter feeds?

Key identification features
  • Fifty or more radiating ribs
  • There is a prominent gape at the sides of the valves
  • The shell is not symmetrical around the beak
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176146]
Sort order
9460
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Limaria hians

Thin but solid shell up to 2.5cm in length. It is white to brown in colour tending to be lighter when younger. The surface is sculptured with radiating ribs and concentric lines. When alive it has prominent orange tentacles.

Lepton squamosum

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Ecology and behaviour

Lives around the burrows of the callianassids Lipogebia deltaura and L. stellata in muddy sand and gravel.

Key identification features
  • The hinge does not possess teeth
  • Small pits over the shell surface
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176088]
Sort order
9990
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Lepton squamosum

Fragile shell up to 1.5cm in length. It is translucent white both outside and inside. The surface of the shell is sculptured with fine concentric and radiating lines with small pits distributed over the surface.

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