Species Account

Abra tenuis (Montagu, 1803)

Tellinoidea : Semelidae

Tebble name: Abra tenuis (Montagu)
Smith & Heppell name: Abra tenuis (Montagu, 1803)

To size: To 13mm. Shell Structure: Thin, brittle. Equivalve: Equivalve. Equilateral: Equilateral. Tumidity: Not tumid. Outline: Trigonal, posterior and anterior dorsal margins roughly same length and slope at the same angle to a broadly rounded ventral margin.

Sculpture: Fine concentric lines. Growth stages clear in some specimens. Margin: Smooth. Ligament: External tiny brown band, internal ligament in a small elongated, spoon-shaped chondrophore. Hinge: LV one small cardinal and single weak laterals; RV two cardinals and single laterals. Pallial Musculature: Deep pallial sinus, confluent with pallial line for much of its length. Periostracum: Pale brown, very thin. Colour: White.

Distribution & Ecology

Inhabits reduced salinity environments in estuaries and lagoons, intertidal in mud. Recorded from both east and west coasts of Britain and Ireland but not extending into Scotland

Depth Range
Intertidal

Additional Information & Related Species

References

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

Allen J A & Sanders H L 1966. Adaptations to abyssal life as shown by the bivalve Abra profundorum (Smith). Deep Sea Research and Oceanographic Abstracts. 13: 1175-1178.
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.

Record last modified: 17/05/2016