Pandora pinna (Montagu, 1803)

To size: To 29mm. Shell Structure: Thin, fragile. Equivalve: Inequivalve, right valve flattened, left valve convex. Valves are twisted slightly so that the dorsal margin consists of all right valve and the left valve fits in underneath it. Equilateral: Inequilateral, beaks in anterior quarter. Outline: Boat-shaped; semi-circular. Anterior dorsal margin short, gently sloping to an almost straight anterior margin, which becomes broadly curved to ventral margin which is straight for much of length in adult specimens. (In juveniles, the ventral margin curves broadly with the lowest point of it 2/3rd the way to the posterior.) Posterior dorsal margin long, straight, angled down slightly, ending in posterior margin which slopes broadly to ventral margin. The posterior gapes slightly and is thickened and beige coloured along the dorsal margin. Anterior and posterior gape.

Sculpture: Concentric lines and ridges. 1 or 2 ridges run from umbo of left valve to the posterior margin. Margin: Smooth. Ligament: Internal on a resilifer. Hinge: No hinge-plate, RV has tooth-like projection anterior to the ligament. LV has thickened part of shell anterior to ligament and not quite parallel to dorsal margin. There is a gap in this thickened area for the ligament and then it continues posteriorly two thirds along the posterior dorsal margin. Pallial Musculature: Posterior adductor is set in a way from the posterior margin halfway to the umbonal region. Pallial line with no sinus, but is not continuous - made up of dotted line. Periostracum: Pale-brown. Colour: White.

Distribution & Ecology

Distributed across the entire western shelf from the Celtic Sea to the north of Scotland, largely absent from the eastern English Channel and most of the North Sea. Lives offshore at all shelf depths.

Depth Range
Continental Shelf (to 200m)

Additional Information & Related Species

Related Species

Pandoroidea : Pandoridae

Pandora inaequivalvis

Pandora pinna

References

Listed are literature citing Pandora pinna (Montagu, 1803). Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.

Montagu G 1803. Testacea Britannica, or natural history of British shells, marine, land and the fresh-water, including the most minute: systematically arranged and embellished with figures Romsey, London. 606pp, 16pls.

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.