Irus irus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Veneroidea : Veneridae |
| Tebble name: | Notirus irus (Linnaeus) |
| Smith & Heppell name: | Irus irus (L., 1758) |
To size:
To 26mm.
Shell Structure:
Brittle shell.
Equivalve:
Equivalve.
Equilateral:
Inequilateral. Beaks in front of midline.
Tumidity:
Not tumid.
Outline:
Oblong, narrowed anteriorly. Lunule very small, indistinct in some specimens where the sculpture encroaches upon it. Escutcheon extensive, almost reaching posterior margin; prominent in LV as sunken area. In RV is encroached upon by sculpture.
Sculpture:
Few, well-spaced concentric frill-like lamellae interspersed by radial grooves and concentric lines to give cancellate sculpture. The lamellae become more elongated toward the posterior margin where they become more flamboyant.
Margin:
Smooth, but the ventral part of last lamellae is wavy, giving the appearance of a crenulate margin in some.
Ligament:
Sunken into escutcheon, appears as a dark band that extends just over a third of the dorsal margin.
Hinge:
3 cardinals in each valve in LV central and anterio bifid, in RV central and posterior bifid. No laterals.
Pallial Musculature:
Pallial sinus extends between a third and half length of shell and is rounded.
Periostracum:
Thin, matt.
Colour:
Cream/off-white shell with beige/orange colouration on anterior and posterior margins.
Distribution & Ecology
Depth Range
Intertidal
Continental Shelf (to 200m)
Additional Information & Related Species
Related Species
Veneroidea : Veneridae
References
Listed are literature citing Irus irus (Linnaeus, 1758). Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.
|
Linnaeus C 1758. Systema Naturae. Editio decima. 1. Regnum Animale Holmiae, Laurentii Salvii. 824pp. |
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.
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