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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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Moerella donacina

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

Uncommon

Norway south to the Mediterranean and into the Black Sea

Ecology and behaviour

Coarse sand / shell gravel where it feeds on organic detritus picked up through the siphon.

Similar species
  • Moerella pygmaea has a less deep pallial sinus and is nearly oval in outline
Key identification features
  • Pale pink radiating streaks
  • Very deep pallial sinus, nearly reaching the anterior muscle scar
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176499]
Sort order
10620
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Moerella donacina

Fragile shell up to about 2.5cm in length. It is generally white in colour with pale pink radiating streaks. Sculpture of concentric lines. Pallial sinus very deep, nearly reaching the anterior muscle scar. Cruciform muscle scars generally not visible.

Modiolus barbatus

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

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

Ecology and behaviour

Lives in a byssal net under rocks or in crevices (included within Laminaria holdfasts) where it filter feeds.

Key identification features
  • Red shell with beaks a short distance from the end of the shell
  • 'Hairs' on the periostracum are serrated
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176497]
Sort order
9300
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Modiolus barbatus

Brittle shell up to 6cm in length. Red in colour but this is mainly obscured by the yellow or brown periostracum. Inside of the shell is pale blue. The surface is sculptured with fine concentric lines and ridges.

Modiolus adriaticus

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

Rare

Distributed from the Baltic Sea to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean and Black Seas

Ecology and behaviour

Lives within a byssal net on gravel or sandy mud where it filter feeds.

Similar species
  • Modiolus barbatus has serrated spines on the periostracum
Key identification features
  • Light yellow shell with red rays or streaks
  • The periostracum is smooth; it does not possess spines
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176496]
Sort order
9290
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Modiolus adriaticus

Brittle shell up to 4cm in length. It is light yellow in colour with red or purple streaks of zig-zags. Juveniles may be almost completely red. The inside is pearl white. Sculpture?

Modiolula phaseolina

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

CommonDistributed from the Baltic south to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

Ecology and behaviour

Burrows creating a nest of byssus threads which tangle gravel and other detritus. Filter feeds phytoplanton.

Key identification features
  • Series of round teeth on the hinge creating a small crenulated area
  • Periostracum has spines which are not serrated
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176494]
Sort order
9330
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Modiolula phaseolina

Fragile shell up to 2cm in length. The beaks are a short distance from the anterior end of the shell. It is yellow tinged with purple on the outside and pale purple on the inside. The surface is sculptured with fine concentric lines.

Mercenaria mercenaria

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

Non-native. Has been successfully introduced in France and has also been recorded in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Mercenaria mercenaria

The map provided here shows the distribution of the species based on Conchological Society data held by the National Biodiversity Network (NBN). See terms and conditions.

The following datasets are included:

  • Conchological Society of Great Britain & Ireland: marine mollusc records

Open an NBN Atlas interactive map of this data in a new window.

 

Ecology and behaviour

Shallow burrower in mud and sand containing stones and shells. The species has been part accidentally / part deliberately introduced to Britain. It originates from North America where it is harvested in some places. Attempts have been made to test its viability at various locations around Britain but in addition to this there may well also have been accidental introductions through ships ballast or the kitchens of liners.

 

Key identification features
  • Inner margin of shell crenulate
  • Roughened area on hinge line below ligament
References and links

Taxon details available from MolluscaBase (AphiaID 141919):

Mercenaria mercenaria (Linnaeus, 1758)

For the species account provided by Marine Bivalves of the British Isles click here.

The UK NBN Atlas entry for the species can be accessed via this link.

Heppell, D. (1960). The naturalization in Europe of the quahog, Mercenaria mercenaria (Linnaeus, 1758). Journal of Conchology, 25(1), 21 – 34p. Available via this link.

Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176422]
Sort order
10950
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Mercenaria mercenaria

Solid shell up to about 10cm in length. Dirty white, light brown or light gray in colour. Scupture of concentric lines sometimes raised to ridges (less obvious in adults).

Mactra stultorum

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

Common

Distributed from the Norwegian Sea to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

Ecology and behaviour

Burrows in clean sand where it filter feeds phytoplankton

Similar species
  • Mactra glauca has the anterior cardinal tooth in right valve not parallel to hinge line
Key identification features
  • Anterior cardinal tooth of the right valve is almost parallel to the hinge line
  • Thin septum separates the two parts of the ligament
  • Lateral teeth are not serrated
Taxon version key
[NBNSYS0000176334]
Sort order
10380
Taxonomic group
Marine bivalve
  • Read more about Mactra stultorum

Brittle, glossy shell up to about 5cm in length. It is cream in colour with a purple tint and brown radiating rays. The inside is white or purple. The pallial sinus is relatively deep.

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
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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.

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