Species Account

Pecten maximus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Pectinoidea : Pectinidae

Tebble name: Pecten maximus (Linnaeus)
Smith & Heppell name: Pecten maximus (L., 1758)

To size: To 150mm. Shell Structure: Solid. Equivalve: Inequivalve, lower right valve concave, upper left valve flat. Equilateral: Equilateral, ears equal. Outline: Subcircular, ears large, together equal in length to half total length. Contour: Byssal notch slight, ctenolium absent.

Sculpture: Of 14-17 broad radiating ribs, on LV these rounded and distinctly striated by radial grooves, on LV ribs flattened with weak radial striation. Ears with few, weak radial, riblets. Margin: Crenulated. Colour: Upper valve reddish brown, lower valve dirty, creamy white.

Distribution & Ecology

Free living sitting on the surface of bottoms of sand to fine gravel. From the sublittoral to mid shelf depths.

Widespread from northern Norway to Iberian Peninsula.

Depth Range
Continental Shelf (to 200m)

Additional Information & Related Species

References

Listed are literature citing Pecten maximus (Linnaeus, 1758). Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.

Dijkstra H.H. 1999. Type specimens of the Pectinidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia) described by Linnaeus (1758-1771). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 125: 383-443.
Linnaeus C 1758. Systema Naturae. Editio decima. 1. Regnum Animale Holmiae, Laurentii Salvii. 824pp.
Wagner H.P. 1991. Review of the European Pectinidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia). Vita Marina. 41 (1): 3-48.

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: 17/05/2016