Papillicardium papillosum (Poli, 1795)
Channel Islands to Angola, Azores to Mediterranean. Shallow water to at least upper shelf.
Original taxon: Cardium papillosum.
10-20m deep, on sand, Ormidia, Larnaca, S. Cyprus. 12mm.
90-100m deep, off S. Margherita, Golfo di Genova, Liguria, NW. Italy. 10mm.
Syns: fragile, obliquatum, punctatum…
Variation pair from 8-12m deep, Gulf of Baratti, Livorno, Toscana, W. Italy. 12-12,5mm.
« Cardium papillosum: testa minima, cordiformis, subaequilatera, in longum profunde sulcata, transversimque rugosa; costis elevatis, papillisque prominulis seriatim digestis exornata; margine antico intrinsecus serrato, purpurascenti. » – G. Poli: Testacea utriusque siciliae… vol. II, Parma 1795, via BHL. – Same spot. 10,5-11,5mm.
« A well-known species, which may be easily recognised by the papilliferous sculpture of the ribs, and the peculiar transverse groove-like punctures in the interstices. » – L. A. Reeve: Conch. iconica vol. II, London 1843, via BHL.

Spectacular young specimen from Sénégal.
In very shallow water, N’Gor island, Almadies, Dakar. 6,5mm.
Large adult specimen from 40-60m deep, Málaga, Andalucia, S. Spain. 10,5mm. Notice the transversely striated radial interspaces, typical of the genus.
6m deep, Sustjepan shore, uvala Luka Cavtat, S. Croatia. 11mm.
30m deep, Punta de la Mona, east of La Herradura, Granada, Andalucia. 9mm.
Two cardinals per valve, one erect triangular, the other weaker and lengthened, their ends touching so that both teeth enclose a triangular cavity, which receives the triangular erect cardinal of the other valve; laterals elongate, those near the dorsal margin being lamellose.
A specimen from Calambrone, Livorno. 11,3mm.

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