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DORIS recommends our site’s innovative, playful and interactive approach for taking your first steps in underwater biology.
DORIS is the reference website for underwater biology. It aims to record, illustrate and describe as many common and rare species as possible that can be seen while diving or along the shore in mainland and overseas French waters.
In Dive.Explo360: Mediterranean · Northeast Atlantic · Atlantic Ocean · Caribbean Sea · Black Sea
Standing between sand and rocks, the Rough pen shell draws the eye with its large brownish shell bristling with spines. By continually filtering water, it contributes to environmental quality and provides a valued support for many small marine organisms.
Habitat
Seagrass meadow, Sand
Depth
5-60 m
Group
Mollusc
Role
Filter feeder, Ecosystem engineer
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WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
This large shellfish lives planted vertically in the seabed, with only its upper part visible. Its elongated, triangular shell is covered in many pronounced spines or scales that make it rough. Its colour varies from brown to reddish brown. Part of the shell is buried in the substrate, where it is firmly held by filaments called a byssus.
WHERE DOES IT LIVE?
It mainly lives on rocky or mixed seabeds, sometimes near sandy areas. It is found from shallow water down to several dozen metres, often in areas well exposed to currents.
WHAT DOES IT EAT?
It feeds by filtering water. It captures very small suspended particles, such as phytoplankton and organic matter, retaining them before releasing the water.
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After recognising a marine species, watch it in its environment in the diving videos. Articles and learning paths help you understand its habitat and its relationships with other organisms; games help you remember your discoveries.
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