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      • Current part: 45 (3), 2025
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      • Issue 1
        • Collecting East African marine snails
        • Field meeting to Box Hill
        • Introduction
        • Oyster Catchers feeding on Patella vulgata
      • Issue 2
        • Collecting localities in the Cape Province
        • Field meeting Walton-on-Naze
        • Herons, Moorhens and Rats feeding on Anodonta anatina
        • Introduction to molluscan taxonomy 1) Species and subspecies
        • Volutes
      • Issue 3
        • Introduction to molluscan taxonomy 2) The significance of types
        • Land and freshwater snails: additions to the British List since 1926
        • Littoral collecting in the Scilly Isles
        • Snails in a Sussex garden
      • Issue 4
        • Biographical Note
        • Introduction to molluscan taxonomy 3) The genus
        • Learning in Nucella lapillus
        • Mollusca on Liverpool bomb sites
        • The Cardiacea
        • The Strombidae
      • Issue 5
        • A suggested method for extracting the animals from small high-spired shells
        • Commensual crabs in Mytilus edulis
        • Field meeting at Shell Bay, Dorset
        • Field meeting at West Runton and Overstrand
        • Introduction to molluscan taxonomy 4) Taxonomic history
        • J.G. Bruguiere 1750-98
      • Issue 6
        • A little more biography
        • Field meeting at Amberley
        • Field meeting to Grasswood, Yorkshire May 1962
        • Marine collecting in New Zealand
        • Marine mollusca of Carnac, Brittany
        • On the use and misuse of common names
        • Strand shells after Cornish gales
        • Trochus magus in the Isle of Wight
      • Issue 7
        • 35 years collecting
        • Field meeting Epping Forest
        • Field meeting White Downs
        • More strand shells after Cornish gales
        • Natural History Museum at Craster
        • Notes on the pholadidae
      • Issue 8
        • Field meeting at Norwich
        • Geology for conchologists - Introduction
        • Geology for conchologists - The last 15,000 years
        • The Strophocheilidae
      • Issue 9
        • More autobiography
        • Sinistrorsity
        • Some etymology
        • Systematics sewn up
      • Issue 10
        • Field meeting at Norbury Park
        • Papers for students
        • Rearing snails from the egg
      • Issue 11
        • David Landsborough
        • Field meeting at Albury
        • Field meeting at Leith Hill
        • Posting living mollusca
        • Snails extinct in England but living abroad
        • Still more autobiography
        • The Viviparidae
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Parvicardium scabrum

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Distribution and status

Locally common. Distributed from Norway to Morocco and into the Mediterranean.

Ecology and behaviour

Burrows in mud, sand, muddy sand, muddy gravel, shell gravel and occasionally amongst the roots of small algae such as Corallina. Lower shore to over 100m.

Similar species
  • Timoclea ovata is more triangular, decussate, has no spines and possesses a pallial sinus
Key identification features
  • Ribs covered by close-set slightly arched tubercles
  • Cusp like scales at the posterior end
  • Surface has 25-28 ribs
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177023]
Sort order
10310
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Parvicardium scabrum

Up to 8mm long, 7mm high, 5.5mm across, oval-trangular, not skewed, umbones almost central, less plump than the proceding species, heavier for its size, more or less keeled.

Parvicardium ovale

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Distribution and status

Locally common. Distributed from Iceland and Finland south to Morocco, the Canaries and the Mediterranean.

Ecology and behaviour

Burrows in muddy sand, sand and muddy gravel and shell gravel from low water to 150m.

Key identification features
  • Spines on 7-8 posterior ribs and tubercles on the 8-10 anterior ribs
  • Surface has 24-26 ribs
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177022]
Sort order
10300
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Parvicardium ovale

Up to 8mm long, 7mm high, 5,5mm across, oval-triangular, somewhat inequilateral, skewed, slightly keeled.

Parvicardium minimum

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Distribution and status

Rare. Distributed from Iceland and Norway south to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean.

Ecology and behaviour

Burrows in mud, muddy sand, muddy gravel and occasionally in shell gravel from 10 to 200m

Key identification features
  • Spines on ribs numerous, arched, crescent shaped with the concave side facing ventrally
  • Surface has 27-32 ribs
  • Shell has a rough rasp-like feel
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177021]
Sort order
10290
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Parvicardium minimum

Up to 6mm long, 5,5mm high, 4 mm wide, round, plump, fragile, almost equilateral, only very slightly keeled.

Parvicardium exiguum

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Vernacular names
Little cockle
Distribution and status

Widely distributed. Distributed from Norway south to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean and black Seas.

Ecology and behaviour

Lives primarily in lagoons and inshore, locally common, but found from midshore to 50m. Active climber on vegetation such as Ruppia, Zostera, Chaetomorpha and other algae especially in lagoons whereit swarms and may be associated with juvenile Cerastoderma glaucum with which it may be confused. Occurs on a variety of algae in sheltered waters. Also living burrowed near the surface and lying on the surface of muddy sand, sand and muddy gravel. Tolerant of brackish conditions down to 17 parts per thousand and also tolerant of a wide range of temperature.

Key identification features
  • Distinct keel at the 7th or 8th rib from the posterior end
  • The ribs are usually decorated with tubercles, especially at the margins
  • Surface has 20-24 ribs
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000177020]
Sort order
10280
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Parvicardium exiguum

Shell up to 16mm long, 18mm high, 12mm across, plump, rhomboidal, with a distinct keel at the 7th or 8th rib from the posterior end. 20-24 flattened or rounded ribs.

Palliolum tigerinum

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

FrequentDistributed from northern Norway to the Iberian Peninsula

Ecology and behaviour

Lives on sandy mud or gravel where it filter feeds phytoplankton.

Key identification features
  • Ventral half of the shell is semicircular
  • The shell sculpture is generally smooth but can display radiating ribs
  • Anterior ear is three times as long as posterior
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176951]
Sort order
9660
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Palliolum tigerinum

Strong shell up to 2.5cm in length. The colour is variable including white, yellow, cream, brown or purple in vaious patterns. The sculpture is very variable. Early in life there are no ribs but can develop up to thirty later on and can can also develop to different extents.

Palliolum striatum

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

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

Ecology and behaviour

Lives on hard ground where it feeds by filtering phytoplankton

Key identification features
  • Anterior ears are three or four times as long as posterior
  • The sculpture of the valves is different; right vale is smooth while the left has numerous radiating ribs
  • The ribs are covered with projecting scales and crossed by irregular raised lines
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176950]
Sort order
9650
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Palliolum striatum

Thin, fragile, shell up to 2cm in length. It is usually white, pink or red in colour. The surface of the right valve is relatively smooth while the left has numerous radiating ribs.

Palliolum furtivum

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 or gravelly sand where it filter feeds.

Key identification features
  • No ribs and almost round in outline
  • Anterior ears three times as long as posterior
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176949]
Sort order
9640
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Palliolum furtivum

Fragile shell up to 2cm in length. The colour is variable and can include white, cream, pink, orange, brown and purple. The surface of the shell is smooth sculptured only with fine radiating and concentric lines.

Phorcus lineatus

Submitted by Steve Wilkinson on Sat, 05/12/2009 22:15
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176910]
Sort order
780
Taxonomic group
Marine snail
  • Read more about Phorcus lineatus

Neptunea antiqua

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

Bay of Biscay to Scandinavia.

Ecology and behaviour

Lives on all kinds of bottom. Eats bivalves, worms and carrion.

Similar species
  • Neptunea despecta Brownish, turreted, sculpture much coarser
  • Buccinum undatum Has sinuous costae, shorter siphonal canal
  • Beringius turtoni Ridged shell, spire taller, tan periostracum
  • Volutopsius norwegicus Shell porcelaineus, spire taller
Key identification features
  • Spindle shaped
  • Finely ribbed shell
  • Large and heavy construction
  • Short siphonal canal
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176689]
Sort order
2950
Taxonomic group
Marine snail
  • Read more about Neptunea antiqua
  • Log in or register to post comments

Shell spindle shaped, robust in construction, 7-8 tumid whorls, up to 160mm. Mouth oval, about 60 % of height, siphonal canal short and open, lip reflected. Shell with fine growth and spiral lines, white to reddish colour, some adults with yellow internally. Some adult North Sea forms have a very flared lip.

Mytilus galloprovincialis

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

Occassional

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

Ecology and behaviour

Lives attached by byssus threads to any suitable hard substrate. Feeds by filtering phytoplankton.

Similar species
  • Mytilus edulis
Key identification features
  • Umbones turn downwards to make the basal line of the shell concave
  • Mantle edge is dark blue or purple
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176603]
Sort order
9280
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Mytilus galloprovincialis
  • Log in or register to post comments

Solid wedge shpaed shell up to about 10cm in length. The outside is purple, blue or brown in colour; the inside is pearl white bordered with purple or blue. The surface is sculptured with concentric rings.

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