Species Account

Abra profundorum (E A Smith, 1885)

Tellinoidea : Semelidae

Tebble name: n/a
Smith & Heppell name: Abra profundorum E A Smith, 1885 A Smith, 1885

To size: To 19mm. Shell Structure: Thin, fragile. Equivalve: Subequivalve, posterior flexed slightly to the right. Equilateral: Inequilateral, beaks slightly behind the midline. Outline: Subovate, posteriorly subacute; posterior dorsal margin almost straight sloping quite steeply to subacute posterior; ventral margin a broad curve; anterior broadly rounded; posterior dorsal short slightly concave.

Sculpture: Almost smooth with co-marginal fine lines. Margin: Inner margin smooth. Ligament: External small brown, arched band, internal ligament in a narrow triangular chondrophore. Hinge: LV with one small cardinal and single weak laterals; RV with two cardinals and single laterals. Pallial Musculature: Pallial sinus deep extending beyond midline, confluent for most of its length. Periostracum: Thin pale brown. Colour: Shell white.

Distribution & Ecology

A burrower into soft mud and ooze. Most from abyssal depths from 2000-4000. Most records are from the lower latitudes of the North Atlantic ranging north to about 48°.

Depth Range
Abyssal Rise (2000 - 4000m)
Abyssal Plain (4000m +)

Additional Information & Related Species

References

Listed are literature citing Abra profundorum (E A Smith, 1885). Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.

Allen J A & Sanders H L 1966. Adaptations to abyssal life as shown by the bivalve Abra profundorum (Smith). Deep Sea Research and Oceanographic Abstracts. 13: 1175-1178.
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.
Smith E A 1885. Report on the Lamellibranchiata collected by HMS Challenger during the years 1873-1876. Reports of the scientific results of the voyage of HMS “Challenger”, Zoology. 13 (35): 1-341, 25pls.

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
    National Biodiversity Network's Gateway. Use it to explore UK biodiversity data, as contributed by participating data providers.
  • 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.

Record last modified: 22/03/2016