Species Account

Modiolus modiolus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Mytiloidea : Mytilidae

Tebble name: Modiolus modiolus (Linnaeus)
Smith & Heppell name: Modiolus modiolus (L., 1758)

To size: To 220mm. Shell Structure: Thin but robust. Equivalve: Equivalve. Equilateral: Strongly inequilateral, beaks very close to the anterior margin. Tumidity: A little inflated, umbos low. Outline: Modioliform, oblong; ligament margin straight sloping gently and weakly angled with generally curved posterior dorsal margin; posterior rounded; ventral straight but a little sinuous; anterior narrowly curved, indistinct from ventral to slightly protruding.

Sculpture: Smooth with comarginal lines and growth stops. Margin: Smooth. Ligament: Deeply sunken extending for about 2/3 of the ligament margin. Hinge: Hinge plate narrow, smooth. Pallial Musculature: Obscure. Periostracum: Of densely spaced, long, simple bristles arising from concentric fringes; often worn and encrusted with sand grains and shell fragments. Colour: Periostracum black, chestnut brown to pale brown, bristles pale brown. Internal lustrous, white often with some brown, pink or purplish shading.

Distribution & Ecology

Widely distributed living from low in the intertidal, sublittoral and across the shelf. May form large beds especially in areas of high current.

See http://www.ukbap.org.uk/UKPlans.aspx?ID=37 for a review of ecology and conservation status.

Depth Range
Intertidal
Continental Shelf (to 200m)

Additional Information & Related Species

References

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

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.

Record last modified: 22/03/2016