(Müller, 1776)

Description (shell):
Shell brittle, inequilateral; anterior ears about three times as long as the posterior. Inequivalve, prominent byssal notch in the right anterior ear. Almost circular in outline except for the protruding ears. Sculpture of up to 40 radiating ribs interspersed with as many narrower riblets. Numerous small broad spiny tubercles occur in single rows on the riblets but often in double rows on the ribs; these tubercles are so abundant that they almost cover the ribs completely. Fine concentric lines also ornament the shell. Growth stages are not clear. Ears with strong concentric folds and radial ribs without spiny tubercles (C. sulcata-detail).

Size:
Up to 25.5 mm.

Colour:
Off-white, yellowish brown, red-brown, pink or orange.

Distribution:
It has been reported from Iceland and the northern Northern North Sea to the Mediterranean and north-west Africa (Distr. C. sulcata).

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Class Bivalvia
Subclass Pteromorphia
Order Pterioida
Family Pectinidae
Genus Chlamys
Species Chlamys sulcata

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Synonym of Karnekampia sulcata (Müller, 1776)

Scientific synonyms and common names

Pecten sulcatus Müller, 1776
Ostrea arata Gmelin, 1791
Pecten idaeus Reeve, 1853
Pecten sulcatus var. crebricostata Sars G.O., 1878
Pecten sulcatus var. typica Sars G.O., 1878
Pecten aratus G. O. Sars, 1878
Chlamys bruei var. sulcata Bavay, 1933
Chlamus sulcata sulcata F. Nordsieck, 1969
Chalmys sulcata arata F. Nordsieck, 1969
Karnekampia sulcata H. P. Wagner, 1988

Seaward, D.R., 1990. Distribution of the marine molluscs of north west Europe. Nature Conservancy Council.

Tebble, N., 1966. British Bivalve Seashells. 212 pp. Trustees of The British Museum (Natural history). London.

Wagner, H. P., 1991. Review of the European Pectinidae. Vitra Marina, 41(1): 1-48.

You can continue searching for Chlamys sulcata on one of these Web sites:

Fauna Europaea (animals) | IOPI (plants) | NCBI (genetic)

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