DOSINIA EXOLETA

Dosinia exoleta is a bivalve mollusk belonging to the Veneridae family.

With a maximum length of 6 centimeters, it thrives in sandy seabeds, where it buries itself to hide from potential predators.

Morphological characteristics of Dosinia exoleta

Dosinia exoleta has a robust, equivalve, and slightly inequilateral shell with a rounded shape. Its main features include:

• a shorter anterior side compared to the posterior;
• a smooth shell margin and a deeply inset ligament that extends over two-thirds of the shell;
• prominent concentric growth lines on the outer surface of both valves;
• no anterior lateral teeth on the right valve, while the left valve has one lateral tooth shaped like a small tubercle;
• a deep, narrow, triangular pallial sinus.

When the valves are closed, they form a romantic heart-shaped lunule. Unlike the common clam, it doesn’t have siphons.

Dosinia Exoleta: coloration, distribution, and habitat

The exterior of the shell is whitish-brown with external striations, while the interior is white.

Is found in the Adriatic Sea, the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea.

It prefers sandy and muddy seabeds, typical of habitats where other small clams are found.