Nucula nucleus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Nuculoidea : Nuculidae |
| Tebble name: | Nucula nucleus (Linnaeus) |
| Smith & Heppell name: | Nucula nucleus (L., 1758) |
To size:
To 12mm.
Shell Structure:
Solid.
Equivalve:
Equivalve.
Equilateral:
Inequilateral, the beaks lie approximately 25-30% of dorsal margin length from posterior.
Tumidity:
Moderately tumid.
Outline:
Rounded triangular: height of shell approximately 85% of length; antero-dorsal margin long, rounded, concave and sloping; postero-dorsal margin slightly concave to almost straight, steeply sloping with angled junction at posterior margin; anterior and posterior margins narrowly rounded; ventral margin more deeply rounded; escutcheon heart-shaped, slightly projecting, generally with defined edges in older individuals; lunule long, lanceolate with poorly defined edges.
Sculpture:
Primary sculpture of numerous very fine, closely-spaced, radial riblets, most visible near the outer margin. Some comarginal lines and growth stops. Older individuals have a decussate surface near the outer margin.
Margin:
Inner margin crenulate in correspondence to riblets.
Ligament:
Internal, opisthodetic, with the ligament seated in a well-developed, rounded resilifer. A thin, barely visible, external ligament lies anterior to the beaks.
Hinge:
Taxodont: Broad and continuous hinge plate with a well-developed triangular shaped resilifer. Teeth long and pointed, usually 11-14 posterior and 16-25 anterior. The teeth extend across the top of the resilifer.
Pallial Musculature:
Pallial line continuous with no pallial sinus. Adductor muscle scars oval, more or less equal in size and indistinct.
Periostracum:
Smooth, matt surface, grey-green to olive coloured, very occasionally with orange or purple-grey coloured rays. Shells often coated with deposits of manganese, particularly around the posterior end.
Colour:
White. Inside of shell nacreous.
Distribution & Ecology
North-east Atlantic, Mediterranean, west Africa. Lives in sand, gravel, shell gravel and pebble, less often in silt or mud. Lives from the near sub-tidal to the outer continental shelf (180-200m depth).
Depth Range
Continental Shelf (to 200m)
Additional Information & Related Species
Related Species
Nuculoidea : Nuculidae
References
Listed are literature citing Nucula nucleus (Linnaeus, 1758). Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.
|
Allen J A 1954. A comparative study of the British species of Nucula and Nuculana. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 33: 457-472. |
|
Gofas S & Salas C 1996. Small Nuculidae (Bivalvia) with functional primary hinge in the adults. Journal of Conchology. 35: 427-435. |
|
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.
Image Gallery
