MolluscaBase - Pteria hirundo (Linnaeus, 1758)

(of Mytilus hirundo Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 706 [details] Available for editors

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Type data

Note not specified [southern seas and Mediterranean]

From editor or global species database

Type locality not specified [southern seas and Mediterranean] [details]

Descriptive notes

Distribution Eastern Atlantic, from the British Isles to Angola, also in the Canary and Cape Verde Islands; Mediterranean. Gorringe,...

Distribution Eastern Atlantic, from the British Isles to Angola, also in the Canary and Cape Verde Islands; Mediterranean. Gorringe, Ampère, Seine and Josephine seamounts, uncommon in 165-280 m [details]

Taxonomic citation

MolluscaBase eds. (2025). MolluscaBase. Pteria hirundo (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed at: https://www.molluscabase.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=140891 on 2025-07-08

Taxonomic edit history

Date

action

2004-12-21 15:54:05Z

created

Gofas, Serge

2010-03-09 16:12:34Z

changed

Tëmkin, Ilya

Licensing

The webpage text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License

[taxonomic tree]

original description (of Mytilus hirundo Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 706 [details] Available for editors

[request]

original description (of Avicula aculeata Risso, 1826) Risso, A. (1826-1827). Histoire naturelle des principales productions de l'Europe Méridionale et particulièrement de celles des environs de Nice et des Alpes Maritimes. [book series]. 400 pp., 13 pls. [volumes 1-5. Paris, F.G. Levrault. vol. 3. Mammifères. Oiseaux. Poissons / vol. 4. Mollusques. Annélides / vol. 5. Crustacés. Myriapodes, scorpionides, arachnides et acarides. Insectes. Vers intestinaux. Radiaires. Zoophytes]., available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/58984
page(s): 308 [details]

original description (of Avicula anglica T. Brown, 1827) Brown, T. (1827). Illustrations of the conchology of Great Britain and Ireland. Drawn from nature. W.H. Lizars and D. Lizars, Edinburgh and S. Highley, London. 144 pp., 52 pls., available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/127868 [details]

original description (of Avicula communis Lamarck, 1801) Lamarck, J. B. (1801). Système des animaux sans vertèbres, ou tableau général des classes, des ordres et des genres de ces animaux. Published by the author and Deterville, Paris. : viii + 432 pp., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14117719
page(s): 134 [details]

original description (of Avicula tarentina Lamarck, 1819) Lamarck, [J.-B. M.] de. (1819). Histoire naturelle des animaux sans vertèbres. Tome sixième, 1re partie, vi + 343 pp. Paris, published by the author. , available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/47441
page(s): 148 [details]

original description (of Avicula vitrea Reeve, 1857) Reeve, L. A. (1857). Monograph of the genus Avicula. In: Conchologia Iconica, or illustrations of the shells of molluscous animals, vol. 8, pls 1-7 and unpaginated text. L. Reeve & Co., London. [stated dates: pls. 2-14, March 1857; pls. 1, 15-18, June 1857]. , available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9127570 [details]

original description (of Avicula verrilli Cossmann, 1912) Cossmann, M. (1912). Rectifications de nomenclature. Revue Critique de Paleozoologie. 16: 213-214., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33868918
page(s): 214 [details]

original description (of Avicula versicolor Dunker, 1879) Dunker, W. (1872–1880). Die Gattung Avicula in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen. pp. 1–84,. in: H.C. Küster (ed.), Systematisches Conchylien–Cabinet von Martini und Chemnitz. Volume 7, part 3. Bauer und Raspe, Nurnberg [pp. 1–56, pl. 1–18, 1872; pp. 57–68, pl. 19–24, 1879; pp. 69–84, pl. 25–27, 1880]., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34340065
page(s): 68, pl. 24, figs 1, 4 [details]

original description (of Avicula undata Dunker, 1879) Dunker, W. (1872–1880). Die Gattung Avicula in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen. pp. 1–84,. in: H.C. Küster (ed.), Systematisches Conchylien–Cabinet von Martini und Chemnitz. Volume 7, part 3. Bauer und Raspe, Nurnberg [pp. 1–56, pl. 1–18, 1872; pp. 57–68, pl. 19–24, 1879; pp. 69–84, pl. 25–27, 1880]., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34340065
page(s): 68, pl. 24, fig. 2 [details]

original description (of Avicula plicatula Dunker, 1872) Dunker, W. (1852). Aviculacea nova. Zeitschrift für Malakozoologie. 9(5): 73–80., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16300771
page(s): 75 [details]

original description (of Avicula signata Reeve, 1857) Reeve, L. A. (1857). Monograph of the genus Avicula. In: Conchologia Iconica, or illustrations of the shells of molluscous animals, vol. 8, pls 1-7 and unpaginated text. L. Reeve & Co., London. [stated dates: pls. 2-14, March 1857; pls. 1, 15-18, June 1857]. , available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9127570 [details]

original description (of Avicula marmorata Reeve, 1857) Reeve, L. A. (1857). Monograph of the genus Avicula. In: Conchologia Iconica, or illustrations of the shells of molluscous animals, vol. 8, pls 1-7 and unpaginated text. L. Reeve & Co., London. [stated dates: pls. 2-14, March 1857; pls. 1, 15-18, June 1857]. , available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9127570
page(s): pl. 15, species 58. [details]

original description (of Avicula britannica Leach, 1852) Leach, W. E. (1852). Molluscorum Britanniae Synopsis. A synopsis of the Mollusca of Great Britain arranged according to their natural affinities and anatomical structure. Van Voorst, London, viii + 376 pp. (edited posthumously by J. E. Gray). , available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13107076 [details]

original description (of Avicula falcata Lamarck, 1819) Lamarck, [J.-B. M.] de. (1819). Histoire naturelle des animaux sans vertèbres. Tome sixième, 1re partie, vi + 343 pp. Paris, published by the author. , available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/47441
page(s): 148 [details]

basis of record Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca. in: Costello, M.J. et al. (eds), European Register of Marine Species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Patrimoines Naturels. 50: 180-213., available online at http://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/ocrd/254404.pdf [details]

additional source Ardovini, R.; Cossignani, T. (2004). West African seashells (including Azores, Madeira and Canary Is.) = Conchiglie dell'Africa Occidentale (incluse Azzorre, Madeira e Canarie). English-Italian edition. L'Informatore Piceno: Ancona, Italy. ISBN 88-86070-11-X. 319 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]

additional source Bieler, R.; Mikkelsen, P. M. (2025). A taxonomic update for "Seashells of Southern Florida – Bivalves" (Mikkelsen and Bieler, 2007) with nomenclatural notes on other bivalve species. The Nautilus. 139(1): 1-27.
page(s): 5 [details] Available for editors

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identification resource Cosel, R. von; Gofas, S. (2019). Marine bivalves of tropical West Africa: from Rio de Oro to southern Angola. Publications Scientifiques du Muséum, Paris, IRD Éditions, Marseille (Faune et Flore tropicales, volume 48): 1-1104.
page(s): 230-231 [details]

Present

Inaccurate

Introduced: alien

Containing type locality

Syntype (of Avicula versicolor Dunker, 1879) ZMB 108.686 [details]

Syntype (of Avicula undata Dunker, 1879) ZMB 108.688 [details]

From editor or global species database

Biology Type of larval development: not documented [inferred from similar species to be planktotrophic] [details]

Diagnosis Species of medium size, usually 60-70 mm, but occasionally more than 100 mm, strongly inequilateral with maximum extension towards the posteroventral edge. Cardinal line very long, with a blunt triangular ear and a long and narrow projection on the posterior side. External surface smooth, with irregular flat scales towards the ventral margin and a well developed periostracum; brown with darker radial bands. Edge of the shell smooth, very thin and fragile, often fragmented. Interior nacreous except for the area bordering the ventral margin. Muscle scar circular, situated at the upper 2/3 near the vertical midline. Ligament extending from the umbo to almost half of the posterior projection. Animal byssally attached to the substrate, often gorgonians or other elevated positions. [details]

Type locality not specified [southern seas and Mediterranean] [details]

From regional or thematic species database

Introduced species vector dispersal in Romanian part of the Black Sea : Shipping [details]

Unreviewed

Habitat Known from seamounts and knolls [details]

Definitions

Language	Name
Albanian	midhja zog	[details]
English	wing shellglassy wing-oyster [from synonym]	[details]
Modern Greek (1453-)	Φτερόστρειδο	[details]