Flexopecten glaber (Linnaeus, 1758)
Algarve to Mediterranean. On fine sediments from subtidal to 95m deep (EOL). Original taxon: Ostrea glabra.
Animal pictured in aquarium, collected at 2m deep, in the lagoon, Leucate, Occitania, S. France. 70mm. Original picture provided by S. Clanzig (FR) – (CC BY-NC-SA).
5m deep, Omiš, Split-Dalmatia Comitat, S. Croatia. 41mm. Original pictures provided by N. Lete (HR) – (CC BY-NC-SA).
Many synonyms:
anisopleurus, aurantia, citrina, distans, griseus, nebulosa etc.
This shell and the following specimens were trawled in northern Adriatic. 36mm.
Above and below: found in fishing boats, in the harbour of Grado, Friuli Venezia Giulia, NE. Italy. 17-35mm.
Variation in colour, pattern.
Variation in rib-strength, rib-number.
Thin and delicate.
Heavy 54mm “proteus” from Grado, with 4 dominant ribs.
Form“aurantius” from Taranto, Puglia, S. taly. 37mm.
Form “griseus” Lamarck, 1819. Upper valve dark coloured, patterned shell. 38-40mm, Grado.
On sand at 3m deep, Medulien, Istria. 62mm.
Yellow. 5m deep, Omiš. 48mm.
Original pictures provided by N. Lete (HR) – (CC BY-NC-SA).
Comparison with a 56mm “concolor” opercularis trawled at 50-80m deep, off Santa Teresa Gallura, Olbia-Tempio, N. Sardinia. Left is glaber, right shows opercularis. Differences in sculpture as in ctelonian teeth are obvious.
45mm, Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
51mm, Trieste.
P. distans and griseus in A. Locard: Expéditions scientifiques du Travailleur et du Talisman, vol.4 t.2, Paris 1898.
Colour sets in specimens from Chioggia, Veneto, NE. Italy.
Original pictures provided by A. Nappo (IT) – (CC BY-NC-SA).
The species seams more common in Adriatic than elsewhere. Form “proteus” collected at 5m deep, Omiš. 38mm. Original picture provided by N. Lete (HR) – (CC BY-NC-SA).

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