Acanthocardia aculeata (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Lofoten, Norway & British Isles to W. Morocco, Mediterranean. Original taxon: Cardium aculeatum. Subtidal to 100m deep. 20m deep, Málaga, Andalucia, S. Spain. 91mm. |
An uncommon species, scarce in NE. Atlantic. The spines can reach impressive sizes. This muddy specimen comes from the gulf of Brest, W. Brittany, NW. France. 91mm. |
Adult specimen drawn in Tableau encyclopédique et méthodique… — Histoire naturelle des Vers — Atlas vol. II, Paris 1827, via BHL. |
Above and below: from Gulf of Brest again. |
This is the form “alba” Philippi. 60mm. |
Young specimen. The shape is rather different, but the teeth, the spines, the ribs are those of aculeata. – Beachstormed, entrance of Ayrolles lagoon, south of Gruissan-Plage, Aude, Occitania, S. France. 35mm. |
Same spot, young shells. 33-50mm. |
Same spot, subadult shells. 63-65mm. |
Same spot, adult shell. 80mm. |
12m deep, on muddy sand, Saronic Gulf, E. Greece. 80,6mm. Original picture provided by P. Ovalis (GR) – (CC BY-NC-SA). |
5-10m deep, Omiš, east of Duće, Dugi Rat municipality, Split-Dalmatia Comitat, S. Croatia. 100mm. Original picture provided by N. Lete (HR) – (CC BY-NC-SA). |
A specimen from Pag island, N. Croatia. 88,4mm. Original pictures provided by D. Šindrbálová (CZ) – (CC BY-NC-SA). |
A large specimen from Port-Barcarès, Eastern Pyrenees, S. France. Size about 90mm. |
— back to Cardiidae — |