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CARDIIDAE |
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Vasticardium vertebratum (Jonas, 1844) Description: Solid and heavy. Shape semicircular, symmetrically elongate oval, height greater than length; inflated; umbo on midline. Lunule narrow, escutcheon wider. Exterior with 23-34 strong, scaled radial ribs, with interstices about a quarter of rib width. Interior white, with exterior radial ribs showing through, muscle scars oval, pallial line not evident. Margin strongly crenulate, teeth pink or orange. Hinge as for family. Ligament external, short. Shell colour variable, usually orange with yellow or pink concentric bands; lunule and escutcheon orange. Size: Up to 60 mm in length. Distribution: Tropical Indo-West Pacific, including northern Australia. In eastern Australia, as far south as Sydney, NSW. Habitat: Lives shallowly buried in sand from the intertidal zone down to at least 50 m deep. Common in the tropics, uncommon in NSW. Comparison: This is similar to Vepricardium multispinosum,but has fewer radial ribs and is taller than that species. Synonymy: This species has been known in recent Australian literature as Acrosterigma reeveanum (Dunker, 1852) which is a previously recognised synonym. Regozara olivifer Iredale, 1936 is another previously recognised synonym. Fig. 1: Angourie Point, NSW. Under stones, low tide. (C.361849) |
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