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.
Key identification features
- Red shell with beaks a short distance from the end of the shell
- 'Hairs' on the periostracum are serrated
Ecology and behaviour
Lives in a byssal net under rocks or in crevices (included within Laminaria holdfasts) where it filter feeds.
Distribution and status
CommonDistributed from the south and west of Britain south to the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean.