Bathyarca glacialis (J E Gray, 1824)

To size: To 15mm. Shell Structure: Thin but not fragile, opaque. Equivalve: Slightly inequivalve, left valve slightly larger, right valve sitting inside left valve. Equilateral: Inequilateral, beaks in front of midline at about 1/3 the length of the dorsal margin from the anterior. Tumidity: A little tumid. Outline: Oblong, posteriorly expanded, umbos prominent; dorsal margin long, straight; posterior broadly rounded, ventral gently curved; anterior narrower than posterior, rounded. Contour: Dorsal area narrow, flat but rising towards junction of valves; posterior angle indistinct; median area with a shallow sinus only in smaller shells.

Sculpture: Primarily radial of numerous fine riblets, these interrupted by growth stops. Margin: Inner margin of larger left valve weakly crenulate adjacent to a submarginal groove; right valve smooth. Ligament: Duplivincular, chevrons developing from the posterior of the dorsal area. Hinge: Taxodont, teeth in two series set on a gently curved hinge plate, separated by a distinct edentulous space; anterior set with up to 6 teeth, posterior set up to 9; posterior teeth longer and set more obliquely than anterior teeth. Pallial Musculature: Anterior adductor scar about 2/3 size of posterior. Colour: White.

Distribution & Ecology

An Arctic species extending south along the shelf edge and upper slope into the Faroe-Shetland Channel. Byssally attached to gravel, stones and deep water coral debris along the continental margin and upper slope.

Depth Range
Continental Margin Zone (200 - 500m)
Bathyal (500 - 2000m)

Additional Information & Related Species

Additional Comments

Under this name Oliver & Allen include both B. glacialis and B. philippiana.

Related Species

Arcoidea : Arcidae

Anadara transversa

Arca tetragona

Arca imbricata

Arca zebra

Asperarca nodulosa

Bathyarca frielei

Bathyarca glacialis

Bathyarca inaequisculpta

Bathyarca pectunculoides

Bathyarca philippiana

Bentharca asperula

References

Listed are literature citing Bathyarca glacialis (J E Gray, 1824). Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.

Gray J E 1824. Shells. In: Parry W.E. (ed.) Supplement to Appendix, Parry's Voyage for the Discovery of a north-west passage in the years 1819-1820, containing an account of the subjects of Natural History London, John Murray. Appendix 10, Zool: 240-246.

Olabarria C. 2005. Patterns of bathymetric zonation of bivalves in the Porcupine Sea Bight and adjacent abyssal plain, NE Atlantic. Deep-Sea Research I. 52: 15-31.

Oliver G & Allen J A 1980. The Functional and Adaptive Morphology of the Deep-Sea Species of the Arcacea (Mollusca: Bivalvia) from the Atlantic. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B. 291: 45-76.

Resources

• Conchological Society of Great Britain & Ireland
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• CLEMAM
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• NBN Gateway
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