Species Account

Limopsis cristata Jeffreys, 1876

Limopsoidea : Limopsidae

Tebble name: n/a
Smith & Heppell name: Limopsis cristata Jeffreys, 1876

To size: To 10mm. Shell Structure: Brittle, opaque. Equivalve: Equivalve. Equilateral: Inequilateral, beaks in front of midline. Tumidity: Somewhat compressed. Outline: Oval-subcircular, slightly oblique. Contour: Dorsal margin short, straight, dorsal area shallowly cleft.

Sculpture: Of weak radial ridges cut by concentric lines. Margin: Inner margin crenulated. Ligament: Amphidetic, a small triangular resilium set in a shallow resilifer between beaks. Hinge: Taxodont, strong teeth in two series set on a shallow arched hinge plate. Pallial Musculature: Adductor scars unequal, posterior twice size of anterior. Periostracum: Of straw coloured bristles standing erect and in radial rows. Colour: White.

Distribution & Ecology

Semi-infaunal, attached by 2-3 long threads to sediment particles. On the slope, mostly lower, and on the abyssal rise, 500- 2000m. Along the western seaboard.

Depth Range
Bathyal (500 - 2000m)
Abyssal Rise (2000 - 4000m)

Additional Information & Related Species

Juvenile Description

As adults but with few teeth.

Key Features & Similar Species

The semi-erect bristles distinguish this species from other limopsids but if worn then the rounded shape and evenly denticulate margin distinguish it from L. minuta where the posterior ventral denticles are larger than the rest.

Related Species

References

Listed are literature citing Limopsis cristata Jeffreys, 1876. Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.

Jeffreys J G 1876. New and peculiar Mollusca of the Pecten, Mytilus and Arca families, procured in the Valorous expedition. Annals and magazine of natural History. (4)18: 424-436.
Oliver G & Allen J A 1980. The Functional and Adaptive Morphology of the Deep-Sea Species of the Family Limopsidae (Bivalvia: Arcoida) from the Atlantic. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B. 291: 77-125.

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