(Gmelin, 1791)

Description:
The shell has a chalky, dull surface. The periostracum is present near the margins. The form is more elongated and flatter than that of Macoma balthica..

Size:
Up to 44 mm long.

Colour:
Fawn.

Habitat:
Lives on fine sand and mud bottoms. From the intertidal zone down to several hundred metres.

Distribution:
A northern Atlantic, Arctic species. In Europe records from Iceland and Norway (Distr. M. calcarea). In western Atlantic south to New York.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Class Bivalvia
Subclass Heterodonta
Order Veneroida
Family Tellinidae
Genus Macoma
Species Macoma calcarea

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Macoma calcarea (Gmelin, 1791)

Scientific synonyms and common names

Tellina calcarea Gmelin, 1791
Tellina calcarea Chemnitz, 1782
Tellina lata Gmelin, 1791
Tellina subulosa Spengler, 1798
Macoma tenera Leach, 1819
Tellina inconspicua Broderip & Sowerby, 1829
Tellina petala Valenciennes, 1833
Tellina sordida Couthouy, 1838
Tellina proxima Brown, 1839
Tellina sabulosa Mørch, 1857 ; Mmrch, 1857 ex Spengler ms. Brown, 1839
Tellina perfrigida de Gregorio, 1885
Macoma calcaria: Ockelmann, 1959

Poppe, G.T. & Y. Goto, 1993. European Seashells. Vol. II. 221 pp. Wiesbaden/Verlag Christa Hemmen.

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.

You can continue searching for Macoma calcarea on one of these Web sites:

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

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