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LUCINIDAE |
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Ctena tatei (Angas, 1879) Description: A smallish, thick-shelled lucinid. Shape wider than high, umbo posterior to midline, lunule shallow; dorsal margin strongly concave anteriorly, straight posteriorly, with anterior, ventral and posterior margins smoothly curved. Exterior with commarginal ridges crossed by wide, low, multiplying radial ribs forming rectangular beads at intersections. Interior smooth, posterior muscle scar oval, anterior longer and narrower; pallial line continuous; margin smooth. Hinge with left valve with 2 cardinal teeth, plus 2 posterior and 2 anterior lateral teeth; right valve with a bifid cardinal, and single anterior and posterior laterals. Ligament moderately short. Shell white. Size: Up to 12 mm in length. Distribution: Endemic to Australia: Point Halliday (near Forster) NSW, southwards and around southern Australia, to southwestern WA, including Tas. Habitat: Most specimens are from beach washup; the habitat is assumed to be intertidal and shallow subtidal sand. Comparison: Ctena bella is very similar but has height greater than width. Ctena bella is a tropical species with a southern limit of Sydney, whereas C. tatei ranges around southern Australia. Remarks: The strength of the radial ribbing is variable, with specimens from northern NSW being weakly ribbed. The figure given by Macpherson & Gabriel (1962, Fig. 377) of, presumably, a Victorian specimen, shows very weak ribbing. Fig. 1: Seven Mile Beach (? Gerringong) NSW (C.179760) |
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