PORT PHILLIP BAY


Bivalve Mollusc 

Tellina margaritina Lamarck, 1818

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

This large and diverse family is notable for shells with elegant shapes and beautiful colour patterns in radial rays, more frequently found among tropical species. Shells are from small to medium size, elongate to ovate or rotund in outline, may be rostrate or flexed posteriorly, vary from fragile to thick and solid, exterior smooth or with some sculpture, periostracum thin. Hinge narrow, two cardinals in each valve, laterals may or may not be present, ligament external. Adductor muscles more or less equal, pallial sinus deep. They are deposit feeders, with the gill surface area reduced and the labial palps enlarged.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Mollusca
Subphylum:
Conchifera
Class:
Bivalvia
Subclass:
Heterodonta
Order:
Veneroida
Superfamily:
Tellinoidea
Family:
Tellinidae
Genus:
Tellina
Subgenus:
Macomona
Species:
margaritina

General Description

The shells of this species are thin, fragile, shiny, white, ovate, compressed. Exterior sculpture of weak concentric lines (striae) covered with thin yellowish brown external coating (periostracum). Shell up to 4 cm across.

Biology

This species is among several small white Victorian bivalves which lack any easily-identified distinguishing characters.

Habitat

In sand and mud, often near the entrances to estuaries, to depth of 15 m.

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Sea snails and shells › Bivalves

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

4 cm

Diet

Organic matter

Commercial Species

No

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, Bivalve Mollusc, Tellina margaritina, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 23 Nov 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/5646

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