Species Account

Astarte crenata (J E Gray, 1824)

Crassatelloidea : Astartidae

Tebble name: n/a
Smith & Heppell name: Astarte crenata (J E Gray, 1824)

To size: To 30mm. Shell Structure: Solid. Equivalve: Equivalve. Equilateral: Subequilateral, beaks just in front of midline. Tumidity: A little compressed. Outline: Subovate, a little trigonal. Lunule margin concave. Anterior rounded and narrower than roundly truncated posterior.

Sculpture: 25-35 co-marginal ribs, these somewhat excavated dorsally but fading marginally and over the posterior. Margin: Smooth (may not be consistent). Ligament: External, a short but prominent arched band posterior of the beaks. Hinge: LV with 3 cardinal teeth, the posterior thin, a "lateral" flange and groove are present above the posterior adductor scar; a small "lateral" ridge is present above the anterior adductor scar. RV with 2 cardinal teeth, a posterior "lateral" flange and an anterior "lateral" groove. Pallial Musculature: Pallial line entire; adductor scars large of equal size. Periostracum: Persistent, olive brown to brown. Co-marginally wrinkled, not punctate, lustrous. Colour: Shell white.

Distribution & Ecology

A northern species found only in the north of the study area in the Shetland islands, Faroes, Iceland and Norway to shelf depths.


Depth Range
Continental Shelf (to 200m)

Additional Information & Related Species

Additional Comments

Jensen (1912) and Ockelmann (1958) considered A. crebricostata to be a subspecies of A. crenata. The material of both species that we have examined share the wrinkled periostracum and overall appearance. The slight differences in outline and nature of the inner margin are not conclusive but we retain them as separate (following CLEMAM) until further research is done.

Related Species

Crassatelloidea : Astartidae

References

Listed are literature citing Astarte crenata (J E Gray, 1824). Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.

Gray J E 1824. Shells. In: Parry W.E. (ed.) Supplement to Appendix, Parry's Voyage for the Discovery of a north-west passage in the years 1819-1820, containing an account of the subjects of Natural History London, John Murray. Appendix 10, Zool: 240-246.
Høpner Petersen G. 2001. Studies on some Arctic and Baltic Astarte species (Bivalvia, Mollusca). Bioscience. 52: 1-71.

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.

Image Gallery

Astarte crenata (J E Gray, 1824)
Astarte crenata (J E Gray, 1824)
Astarte crenata (J E Gray, 1824)
Astarte crenata (J E Gray, 1824)
Astarte crenata (J E Gray, 1824)
Astarte crenata (J E Gray, 1824)
Record last modified: 17/05/2016