Description: Overall shape is regular oval with protruding ears. Rarely more than 6 mm. Shells is white but is usually covered in part by a cream periostracum. There are 24 radiating ribs on the outer shell surface, with the middle rib being wider than the rest, and concentric lines. These structures are visible on the inside of the shell, especially the wide central rib which appears as a central groove.

Habitat: Mud, sandy mud, gravel or sandy gravel down to considerable depth.

Distribution: Recorded from all around Britain, but seems to be rare or absent from a lot of North Sea coast and rarely recorded around the island of Ireland aside from in the north, or scattered records from west coast.

Similar Species: Could be confused with Limaria loscombi or Limaria hians but these have a different shape to their shell and more ribs.

Key Identification Features:

• Regular oval shape.
• Less than 6 mm.
• 24 radiating ribs, with a wide central rib.

Distribution Map from NBN: Limatula subauriculata at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Limatula subauriculata at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Limatula subauriculata

WoRMS: Limatula subauriculata at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Limatula subauriculata (Montagu, 1808). AphiaID: 140242.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Mollusca; Bivalvia; Autobranchia; Pteriomorphia; Limida; Limoidea; Limidae; Limatula