Cerastoderma edule | The Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland

<em>Cerastoderma edule</em> (Linnaeus, 1758)

Cerastoderma edule. Ctenidium (gill) folded into 4 lamellae (layers), W in cross section. Fine mesh of fused filaments just visible if picture magnified to maximum. Used for respiration and filtering food particles.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Shell length 22.9mm. Relaxed specimen. Comb-like ctenidia (gills). Foot yellow-orange and thick when contracted within shell, white and thin when extended and pigment diffused. Mouth of Dee Estuary, Cheshire. Oct. 2011.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Shell length 22.9mm. Relaxed specimen. Foot yellow-orange and thick when contracted within shell, but white and thin when extended and pigment diffused. Flimsy mantle coats inside of valves, yellowish edge. Ctenidium to left of body.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Shell length 23mm. Exhalent (upper) and inhalent peach-tinted siphons at posterior. Extended foot blade-like, white tinted peach. Foot & siphons yellow-orange when contracted inside shell or cooked. Dee Estuary, Cheshire. Oct. 2011.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Juvenile, length 9mm. Small sensory pallial tentacles and tip of foot extended from edge of shell. Mouth of Dee Estuary, Cheshire. 24 October 2011.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Shell length 23mm. Exhalent (upper) and inhalent (lower) siphons. Camera-style eyes with single lens and retina on sensory tentacles detect moving shadows of predators. Mouth of Dee Estuary, Cheshire. October 2011.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Juvenile, length 9mm. Extended foot white, flattened like knife to penetrate sand, rounded in cross section when contracted. Can flex to jerk away from predators. Mouth of Dee Estuary, Cheshire. 24 October 2011.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Cerastoderma edule. Juvenile, length 9mm. Exhalent (upper) and inhalent (lower) siphons extend from posterior of shell. Part of foot extended. Mouth of Dee Estuary, Cheshire. 24 October 2011.

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

I.F. Smith

Inside of left valve with crenulate posterior margin highlighted

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

Steve Wilkinson

Specimen collected by Light from Pagham Harbour - SZ880969. (16/8/86). Height = 27mm.

Detail of valve surface

Species

Cerastoderma edule

Photographer / copyright holder

Steve Wilkinson

Specimen collected by Light from Pagham Harbour - SZ880969. (16/8/86). Height = 19mm.

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