Mytilimeria nuttalli
| Mytilimeria nuttalli | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Family: | Lyonsiidae |
| Genus: | Mytilimeria |
| Species: | M. nuttalli |
| Binomial name | |
| Mytilimeria nuttalli | |
Mytilimeria nuttalli, commonly known as the bladder clam or the sea bottle clam, is a species of marine bivalve mollusk in the family Lyonsiidae.[1] It embeds itself in ascidian colonies, and can be found from the low intertidal to depths of 40 m, from Forester Island, Alaska to Isla Coronado, Baja California.[2]
Description
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Unlike most clams that live in sandy or rocky substrates, Mytilimeria nuttalli clams are usually embedded in colonies of compound ascidians with only their siphons exposed.[3] Larvae settle on the ascidian colony and eventually become surrounded, except for a narrow slit for the siphons.[2] Because the shells are protected under the surface, they are thin and fragile,[3] and often crack when dried.[2] If they are removed from their ascidian hosts, the periostracum tends to peel from the shell.[4] The shell tends to be around 2 cm, but can reach 4 cm in length, and have a pearly interior.[2][3]
References
- 1 2 Tran, Bastien (2010). "Mytilimeria nuttalli Conrad, 1837". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
- 1 2 3 4 Cowles, Dave (2006). "Mytilimeria nuttalli Conrad, 1837". Invertebrates of the Salish Sea. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Sones, Jackie (March 29, 2012). "The clam and the tunicate". The Natural History of Bodega Head. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ Prezant, Robert S (1981). "Comparative shell ultrastructure of lyonsiid bivalves" (PDF). The Veliger. 23 (4): 289--299.