Species Account

Donax vittatus (da Costa, 1778)

Tellinoidea : Donacidae

Tebble name: Donax vittatus (da Costa)
Smith & Heppell name: Donax vittatus (da Costa, 1778)

To size: To 39mm. Shell Structure: Thin, solid. Equivalve: Equivalve. Equilateral: Inequilateral, beaks behind midline. Tumidity: Not tumid. Outline: Narrowly ovate/ elongate, wedge-shaped, posterior region half the length of the anterior region. Posterior margin more narrowly rounded than anterior. Ventral margin visibly crenulate.

Sculpture: Concentric growth lines and fine lines, fine radial lines, stronger at posterior and weaker/absent at anterior. Margin: Coarsely serrated, rough to the touch. Ligament: Small, but prominent mid-brown arched band. Hinge: Two cardinals in each valve. In LV anterior bifid, posterior weak. In RV posterior bifid anterior short. In RV two posterior and one anterior lateral, in LV one anterior and one posterior lateral; both rather weak. Pallial Musculature: Pallial sinus deep extends just to the midline. It is confluent with the pallial line for some of its length. Cruciform muscle scars not visible. Periostracum: Thin, satin. Colour: White/pale yellow/brown/purple. Internal commonly purple which shows through to external at growth lines.

Distribution & Ecology

Intertidal, shallow sublittoral on exposed sandy shores and bays. Rare beyond 20m. In wave action sands (surf zone) Clean, firm sand.

Depth Range
Intertidal
Continental Shelf (to 200m)

Additional Information & Related Species

Related Species

Tellinoidea : Donacidae

References

Listed are literature citing Donax vittatus (da Costa, 1778). Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.

da Costa E M 1778. Historia Naturalis Testaceorum Britanniae London: Millan, White, Elmsley & Robson. 254pp, 17pls.
Salas-Casanova C. 1987. The Donacidae of the Bay of Malaga (Spain). Taxonomy. Basteria. 51: 33-50.

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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Record last modified: 22/03/2016