Photo 3100067, (c) memopob, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by memopob

Attribution © memopob
some rights reserved
Uploaded by memopob memopob
Source iNaturalist NZ
Associated observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Large Trough Shell (Spisula murchisoni)

Observer

memopob

Date

February 8, 2016

Description

Very easy to muddle with Spisula discors but distinguishable in that S. discors, when the periostracum is missing is chalky white and often rusty while S murchisoni is often somewhat banded as in this specimen. Ring ridges are slightly finer and surface of fresh shells somewhat glossy. [S. discors lives in mud, this one in sand]
S murchisoni are also slightly more inequilateral when the two species are compared, with a marginally sharper angle on the longer side. There are also some technical differences in the hinge area.
Rabbit Island also happens to be the Type site for this sp.

Sizes