PORT PHILLIP BAY


Elongate Little Wedge Shell 

Paphies elongata (Reeve, 1854)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Shells of this family are small to medium in size, thick and heavy for their size, compressed, elongate, wedge shaped, posterior truncated. Hinge strong, left valve with inverted V-shaped cardinal, right valve with two cardinals, internal ligament sits in spoon shaped structure,

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Mollusca
Subphylum:
Conchifera
Class:
Bivalvia
Subclass:
Heterodonta
Order:
Veneroida
Superfamily:
Mactroidea
Family:
Mesodesmatidae
Subfamily:
Mesodesmatinae
Genus:
Paphies
Subgenus:
Amesodesma
Species:
elongata

Other Names

  • Shining Wedge Shell
  • Narrow Wedge Shell

General Description

Shells of this species are very solid for the size, strongly wedge shaped (cuneate) and white. Valve rounded apex (umbo) in posterior quarter of shell. Exterior more or less smooth, covered with shiny brown coating (periostracum). Shell up to 25 mm across.

Biology

Some predators of this species include snails living in the sand. Related species from New Zealand are larger and commercially harvested.

Habitat

In sand in intertidal areas.

Soft substrates

Coastal shores

Distribution guide

Most states of Australia.

Species Group

Sea snails and shells › Bivalves

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

25 mm

Diet

Organic matter

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Boyd, S.

Sue Boyd is an Honorary Associate in marine invertebrates at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Boyd, S., 2011, Elongate Little Wedge Shell, Paphies elongata, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/5632

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