Description: This scallop has a brittle shell with an almost circular outline, aside from the protruding ears. Both valves are equal aside from a small byssal notch in the anterior ear of the right valve. Very rarely this species can reach just over 5 cm, but is more commonly around 3 cm in size. The colour of the left valve is usually a brick-red to purple-brown with some white mottling. The right valve is usually white but may have some brick red colouring near the umbones or ribs. In smaller specimens both valves may be the same colour (usually brick red) and in rare cases may be white. There are between 3-10 ribs although 5-8 is the most common number. Each rib increases in width towards the outer margin of the shell. There are also numerous radiating grooves and concentric lines on the outer surface of the shell, which may be raised into spined riblets.

Habitat: Offshore mud from around 10-180 m.

Distribution: Most records from Britain and Ireland are from northern coasts, although there arw some scattered records in the south.

Similar Species: Could potentially be confused with other superficially similar scallops such as Mimachlamys varia or Talochlamys pusio.

Key Identification Features:

• Two almost equal valves.
• Left valve is usually more strongly coloured than right valve.
• Each rib increases in width towards the outer margin.
• 3-10 ribs and numerous radiating grooves and concentric lines.

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

iNaturalist: Pseudamussium peslutrae at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Pseudamussium peslutrae

WoRMS: Pseudamussium peslutrae at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Pseudamussium peslutrae (Linnaeus, 1771). AphiaID: 140717.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Mollusca; Bivalvia; Autobranchia; Pteriomorphia; Pectinida; Pectinoidea; Pectinidae; Palliolinae; Palliolini; Pseudamussium