Atrina pectinata   (Linnaeus, 1767)

Comb pen shell

Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050
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Atrina pectinata  AquaMaps  Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Atrina pectinata

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | CoL | ITIS | WoRMS

Bivalvia | Ostreida | Pinnidae

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Benthic; depth range 0 - 200 m (Ref. 2754).  Subtropical; 1°C - 39°C; 63°N - 41°S, 17°W - 137°W

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Mediterranean and Indo-West Pacific: from southeast Africa to Melanesia and New Zealand; north to Japan and south to New South Wales. Tropical to subtropical.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm 15.8, range 10 - ? cm Max length : 39.0 cm SHH male/unsexed; (Ref. 124193); common length : 26.0 cm SHL male/unsexed; (Ref. 348)

Short description Morphology

Shell reaching a large size, usually rather thin, fragile, moderately inflated and triangularly wedge-shaped in outline, with a highly variable sculpture. Dorsal margin nearly straight or slightly concave, posterior margin generally truncate. Ventral margin widely convex posteriorly, straightish to shallowly depressed anteriorly. Outer surface of valves with 15 to 30 radial ribs which may be smooth to densely set with short, open spines. Dorsal most radial rib frequently with a series of short and sharp spines protruding along the dorsal margin of shell. Inner surface of shell with shallow grooves corresponding to the external radial ribs. Internal nacreous layer rather thin, undivided, occupying the anterior 2/3 to 3/4 of valves. Posterior adductor scar completely enclosed within the nacreous area. Colour: outside of shell slightly shiny, translucent olivaceous tan, often tinged with darker purplish brown or grey toward the umbones. Interior similarly coloured, iridescent on nacreous area.

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

New Zealand populations are generally considered a distinct subspecies under the name Atrina pectinata zelandica (Gray, 1835). It is collected in many areas for food and fertilizer (Ref. 348). Minimum depth from Ref. 348. From low intertidal areas to depths of about 20 m (Ref. 348). From tidal flats to shallow subtidal environments (Ref. 106801). In sand or muddy sand with shells, with the ventral (open) portion of the shell facing towards the current (Ref. 348). Infaunal (Ref. 106801). Occurs in 15 to approximately 50 cm deep silts (Ref .106800). Tolerant to wide ranges of temperature and to low-salinity water (Ref. 348). In general, suspension feeding bivalves mainly depend on phytoplankton and detritus material for nutrition (Ref. 107088).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Members of the class Bivalvia are mostly gonochoric, some are protandric hermaphrodites. Life cycle: Embryos develop into free-swimming trocophore larvae, succeeded by the bivalve veliger, resembling a miniature clam.

Main reference References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Poutiers, J.M. 1998. (Ref. 348)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)


CITES status (Ref. 108899)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial
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Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Common names
Synonyms
Predators
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development
References
Mass conversion

Internet sources

BHL | BOLD Systems | CISTI | DiscoverLife | FAO(Publication : search) | Fishipedia | GenBank (genome, nucleotide) | GloBI | Gomexsi | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | PubMed | Tree of Life | Wikipedia (Go, Search) | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 15.9 - 28.5, mean 26.5 (based on 1541 cells).
Resilience (Ref. 69278): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.53-0.78; tm=1).
Vulnerability (Ref. 71543): Low to moderate vulnerability (27 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.