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ALEXANDRE MEINESZ

Rough pen shell

Distribution : Mediterranean · 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 of Rough pen shell Habitat
Seagrass meadow, Sand
Depth range of Rough pen shell Depth
5-60 m
Biological group of Rough pen shell Group
Ecological role of Rough pen shell Role
Filter feeder, Ecosystem engineer

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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Rough pen shell

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Same ecological role and depth

Filter-feeding species Ecosystem engineer species

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