Original taxon: Tellina adansoni.
« Testa albida, cardine violaceo. Habitat frequens in antris scopulorum aqua marina repletis ad littus Africae occidentalis. » – J. F. Gmelin: “Vermes”, Caroli a Linnaei Systema Naturae…, vol. I pars. VI, Leipzig 1791, #62 p. 3239.
1m deep, in crevices, on Lithophyllum sp., Ognina, Catania, Sicily. 3mm. Notice the large prodissoconch.
It is admitted that Lasaea adansonii with two i (Cantraine 1835, Cycladina) is a synonym of Lasaea rubra pictured above. Nevertheless, the description given by Cantraine matches Gmelin’s descrition of Tellina adansoni with one i. Both are based on Adanson’s work: see the item 9, plate XVII of the Histoire naturelle du Sénégal, Paris 1757, and the description resulting of the characters listed in the various tables provided in this book.
Cantraine: « Testa oblonga, suborbiculari, inaequilatera, glabra, fragili, brunneo-purpurea, concentrice substriata; utrinque rotundata; natibus prominulis. […] This small species […] is the Poron described and figured by Adanson, which was hitherto an enigmatic species. »
The figures above show Kellia rubra in Forbes & Hanley: A history of British Mollusca and their shells vol. I plate O, London 1853. « This minute shell is strong for its size, more or less ventricose, semi-transparent, devoid of lustre, of a rich purplish red, or of various intensities and shades of yellow stained with purplish rose at the longer extremity, and mottled or banded with the same near the umbones; more rarely of a dirty greenish hue or almost destitute of colour. » (op. cit. vol. II, page 94).
Cantraine: « Testa oblonga, suborbiculari, inaequilatera, glabra, fragili, brunneo-purpurea, concentrice substriata; utrinque rotundata; natibus prominulis. […] This small species […] is the Poron described and figured by Adanson, which was hitherto an enigmatic species. »
The figures above show Kellia rubra in Forbes & Hanley: A history of British Mollusca and their shells vol. I plate O, London 1853. « This minute shell is strong for its size, more or less ventricose, semi-transparent, devoid of lustre, of a rich purplish red, or of various intensities and shades of yellow stained with purplish rose at the longer extremity, and mottled or banded with the same near the umbones; more rarely of a dirty greenish hue or almost destitute of colour. » (op. cit. vol. II, page 94).
Forbes & Hanley: « The form is somewhat variable, but generally is oval-orbicular, longer than broad, and always more or less oblique; more rarely the breadth and length are equal, and the shape consequently approaching the orbicular. […] the beaks are touching, prominent, but very blunt, and do not apparently lean to either side […] the umbones themselves are very wide. »
Variations of colour in Pors Mabo population. 1,25-1,75mm. The higher the shell lives near the surface, the stronger the red appears in its general colour. Deeper-living specimens are dirty-white… Forbes & Hanley: « This is a strictly littoral species, living gregariously in the crevices of rocks, among congregations of barnacles and the roots of Corallina, Lichina, and Fucus, between tide-marks. It is not so generally diffused as it is locally plentiful. »
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