Relevant Synonyms Cardita carinata Brugière, 1792 Misidentification -  drawing: Tuvia Kurz

SHORT DESCRIPTION Shell medium sized, equivalve, strongly inequilateral. Outline oblong longer than high; length to height ratio depends on the available space; umbo almost terminal; posterior part expanded forming a carina; posterior margin rounded. Ligament external. Weak cancellate sculpture of prominent radial lines crossed by weak concentric growth lines. Diagnostic is the dentition in hinge: rv with two well developed cardinal teeth and three lateral; lv with two cardinal, and two lateral teeth. No pallial sinus. Inner margin smooth. color : creamy white. common size : to 60 mm in length. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Its clearly radiating sculpture, yet with weak concentric lines, distinguished it from the closely related Coralliophaga coralliophaga (Gmelin, 1791) where the main feature is the thin raised lamellae. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY The Trapeziidae are primarily byssate forms. habitat : nestling in crevices or beneath coral debris and rocks (Oliver, 1992).

1st Mediterranean record Israel, 1980. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide: Indo-Pacific including thoughout the Red Sea. Mediterranean: reported in 1980 only from Yamit, Israel (Mienis, 1980c). ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Although the species is mentioned as common in the Red Sea, the Mediterranean record is based on a single valve up to date, probably accidentally transported. speculated reasons for success : - MODE OF INTRODUCTION Possibly via the Suez Canal. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS None.

KEY REFERENCES Lamy E., 1916. Les Cardites et les Cypricardes de la Mer Rouge (d'après les matériaux recueillis par M. le Dr. Jousseaume). Bulletin de Musée d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 22: 311-316. Mienis H.K., 1980c. A record of the Indo-Pacific species Trapezium oblongum from the Mediterranean coast of Israel. Levantina, 27: 313-314. Oliver P.G., 1992. Bivalved seashells of the Red Sea. Christa Hemmen, Wiesbaden and National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, 330 p.   FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

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