Species Account

Goethemia elegantula (Møller, 1842)

Cardioidea : Cardiidae

Tebble name: n/a
Smith & Heppell name: Parvicardium elegantulum (Moller, 1842)

To size: To 15mm. Shell Structure: Thick shelled. Equivalve: Equivalve. Equilateral: Inequilateral, beaks a little in front of the midline. Outline: Ovate a little longer than high, anterior and posterior dorsal margins sloping; posterior a little truncated ventral and anterior curved. Contour: Posterior angle indistinct. Lunule small, oval, sunken.

Sculpture: 20-24 radial ribs, highly arched in profile; interspaces as wide as ribs. Ribs with closely spaced, fine, vaulted scales these becoming crowded on large shells. Juveniles: not seen. Margin: Crenulated by interlocking ribs and interspaces. Furrows not extending into the umbonal cavity. Ligament: Prominent but sunken, on short nymph. Hinge: Weak, RV with 2 anterior laterals, 1 posterior lateral, 2 very small cardinals. LV with single anterior and posterior laterals and 2 small cardinals. Cardinals frequently worn and obsolete. Pallial Musculature: Obscure. Periostracum: Persistent but thin. Colour: Off-white.

Distribution & Ecology

Known from West Greenland and the Norwegian Arctic south to 69.5*N
Seaward (1990) notes shells only from SA48 (Faroes area). These are most likely to be subfossil.

Depth Range
Continental Shelf (to 200m)

Additional Information & Related Species

References

Listed are literature citing Goethemia elegantula (Møller, 1842). Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.

Resources

  • Conchological Society of Great Britain & Ireland
    Provides resources for understanding, identifying, recording, and conserving molluscs
  • CLEMAM
    Check List of European Marine Mollusca
  • MarLIN
    The Marine Life Information Network for Britain and Ireland (MarLIN) provides information for marine environmental management, protection and education. It is a centre of excellence in spatially based and time-series marine biological information and supports good stewardship in the marine environment.
  • NBN Gateway
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  • BivAToL
  • MarBEF
  • Malacological Society
  • Unitas Malacologica
  • Census of Marine Life
  • MarBEF
    MarBEF, a network of excellence funded by the European Union and consisting of 94 European marine institutes, is a platform to integrate and disseminate knowledge and expertise on marine biodiversity, with links to researchers, industry, stakeholders and the general public.

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Record last modified: 17/05/2016