|
|
CARDIIDAE |
|
|
Click on an image to enlarge
|
Afrocardium richardi (Audouin, 1826) Description: Shell small. Shape trapezoidal, very inflated, strongly oblique, height equal to length, umbo well in front of midline. Lunule and escutcheon absent. Exterior with about 30 scaled radial ribs, scales stronger posteriorly. Interior with muscle scars and pallial line indistinct, exterior sculpture showing through; margin strongly crenulate, more so posteriorly. Hinge as for family. Ligament external. Shell colour variable but usually white with pink posteriorly. Size: Up to 12 mm in length. Distribution: Tropical Indo-West Pacific including northern Australia. In eastern Australia, as far south as Sydney. Habitat: Known from beach washup and down to 124 m depth. Common in the tropics, rare in NSW. Comparison: In NSW, this species is readily identified by its small size and strongly oblique shape. Synonymy: There are many synonyms; Cardium skeeti Hedley, 1906 has been used in Australian literature. Fig. 1: Port Stephens, NSW (C.014061) |
|
