Arcuatula perfragilis has a pale green, equivalve shell with a few yellowish radial lines on the dorsal to posterior portion of the valves. The valves are typical mussel-shaped in that they are narrowly ovoid and transversely elongated. The periostracum is shiny. The surface of the valve has a very weak pattern of radiating lines which is discernible only by the strong ligament along the hinge line typical of the family mytilidae. This hinge has between 1 and 5 small dysodont teeth at the anterior end with a further15 towards the posterior part beyond the ligament. The shell length is normally 20mm.[2]
It can be identified from Arcuatula senhousia in the Mediterranean by its having a darker, less shiny, more rounded shell and because it possesses less distinct, fewer, smaller riblets anterior to the umbones.[2]
Distribution
Arcuatula perfragilis has an Indo-Pacific distribution and occurs from the Red Sea east to Japan.[3] It was first recorded in the Mediterranean off Israel in 1960 but was initially misidentified as Arcuatula glaberrima (then named as Modiolus glabberrimus), it has now spread as far as Turkey.[4]
Biology
Arcuatula perfragilis is a benthic species which usually occurs in shallow water between 0-30m on intertidal mud and sand.[5]
Taxonomy
Arcuatula perfragilis is the type species of the genus Arcuatula.[1]
↑ C. Turan; B. Salihoğlu; E. Özgür Özbek; B. Öztürk, B., eds. (2016). The Turkish Part of the Mediterranean Sea; Marine Biodiversity, Fisheries, Conservation and Governance. Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV) Istanbul. p.189. ISBN978-975-8825-35-6.
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