Species Account

Macoma torelli Jensen, 1905

Tellinoidea : Tellinidae

Tebble name: n/a
Smith & Heppell name: Macoma torelli Jensen, 1905

Notes on Nomenclature

Not included in CLEMAM – arctic species.

To size: To 17mm. Shell Structure: Thin, fragile. Equivalve: Equivalve. Equilateral: Inequilateral, beaks to posterior. Outline: Subtrigonal, posterior margin steeply sloping, almost straight to a broadly curved posterior margin. Anterior straight for the first third, becoming broadly rounded, much more so than posterior.

Sculpture: Concentric growth line visible. Margin: Smooth. Ligament: Brown, half length of posterior margin. Hinge: Two cardinals in each valve, in RV posterior bifid, in LV anterior bifid. No laterals. Pallial Musculature: Much deeper in LV than RV, tongue-shaped in both. Cruciform muscle scars visible. Periostracum: Silky.

Distribution & Ecology

A burrower in muddy sands, offshore. Not in the British fauna. Circum-Arctic Greenland and Svalbard.

Depth Range
Continental Shelf (to 200m)

Additional Information & Related Species

Key Features & Similar Species

Separation of sub-arctic and arctic Macoma is problematic but none have been found living in British waters.
M. calcarea, subovate, posterior subacute
M. torelli, trigonal
M. moesta, subovate, posterior subtruncate, compressed
M. loveni, subovate, posterior subtruncate, inflated

Related Species

References

Listed are literature citing Macoma torelli Jensen, 1905. Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.

Jensen A S 1905. Studier over nordiske Mollusker III. Tellina (Macoma). Vid Medd. 1905: 21-52, 149-152.

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: 17/05/2016