Chama congregata Conrad, 1833
Chamoidea : Chamidae |
| Tebble name: | n/a |
| Smith & Heppell name: | n/a |
To size:
To 25mm.
Shell Structure:
Thick, heavy.
Equivalve:
Inequivalve; bottom (left) valve much larger and deeper than top (right), which acts as a lid and is smaller and flatter.
Equilateral:
Inequilateral.
Tumidity:
Very tumid.
Outline:
Circular to irregularly oval.
Sculpture:
Thick sculpture of worn, blunt, irregular radial ‘ribs’ arranged in concentric rows.
Margin:
Denticulate.
Ligament:
Dark brown, almost length of dorsal margin.
Hinge:
Large ‘cardinal’ tooth with corresponding socket in each valve and a chunky lateral tooth in the left valve.
Pallial Musculature:
No pallial sinus.
Colour:
White.
Distribution & Ecology
Records from Dorset coast and Gwithian, Cornwall.
Notoriously difficult to identify due to the intraspecific variety it is difficult to pinpoint to species without a rough idea of original locality. The one specimens from Dorset was initially assumed to be from Mediterranean and was originally identified as Chama cf. gryphoides. However, based on ocean currents and recent records from Cornwall and of other E USA species washed ashore on Devon and Ireland coasts, we are assuming that this is a West Atlantic species.
Depth Range
Intertidal
Continental Shelf (to 200m)
Additional Information & Related Species
Related Species
Chamoidea : Chamidae
References
Listed are literature citing Chama congregata Conrad, 1833. Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.
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Conrad, T.A. 1833. On some new fossil and recent shells of the United States. American Journal of Science and Arts. 23 (17): 339-346. |
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Holmes A.M., Oliver P.G., Trewhella S, Hill R. & Quigley D.T.G. 2015. Trans-Atlantic rafting of inshore mollusca on macro-litter. American molluscs on British and Irish shores, new records. Journal of Conchology. 42 (1): 41-49. |
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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