Donax trunculus: taxon details and analytics

Domain
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Mollusca
Class
Bivalvia
Order
Cardiida
Family
Donacidae
Genus
Donax
Species
Donax trunculus
Scientific Name
Donax trunculus

Summary description from Wikipedia:

Donax trunculus

The truncate donax, abrupt wedge shell, wedge clam or coquina clam (Donax trunculus), is a bivalve species in the family Donacidae.

It is native to the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of western Europe, as well as the Red sea, where it is consumed as a food. The wedge clam prefers to live at depths of 0-2m and in clean, fine, and well sorted sand. These clams are efficient and rapid burrowers, and their survival relies heavily on the composition of the sand they burrow in. Their burrowing times vary based on the coarseness of the sand, which reflects their prevalence in these fine-sanded environments. The wedge clam is a popular food item for human consumption, but can carry heavy metals and hydrocarbon contaminations. As they are commonly consumed raw or lightly cooked, these contaminants are commonly present at the time of consumption. Despite this, the wedge clam is an efficient bioindicator of heavy metals and hydrocarbon contaminants in their environment.

With this species, as with many in its family Donacidae, it's easy to mistake the orientation of the valves, that is, to locate wrong the anterior and posterior ends of the animal and thus to mistake the right valve for the left one and vice versa (if there's no soft body left to give a reference), because the wedge clam's valves have some distinct features which are the opposite to what we see in the majority of the bivalves and can lead to confusion if we try to orientate the valves using these: first, Donax's umbo points backwards, towards the posterior end (instead of pointing forward, which is the common thing to happen in other bivalve families such as Veneridae); second, the anterior half of the valve (if you divide the valve in two by tracing a transverse axis from the umbo's point) is bigger, broader, more elongate, extends further away, while the posterior half is much shorter and reduced, which is exactly the opposite to the norm. However, if we ignore these unusual features, the valve can be readily oriented if we are able to make out the impression of the pallial sinus on the internal face of the valve: the pallial sinus, which is quite deep and prominent in this species, always opens towards the posterior end of the animal, with no exception.

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Donax trunculus in languages:

Czech
violetka obecná
Dutch
Stomp zaagje
English
Wedge Clam
French
Flion tronqué
Italian
Arsella
Italian
Arsellina
Italian
Calcinello
Lithuanian
Pleištinis drugenis
Portuguese
Conquilha
Russian
Донакс обрезанный

Images from inaturalist.org observations:

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Donax trunculus
©Yazhini Sivaram, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©varsh_03, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Sokolov Yuriy Ivanovich, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Sokolov Yuriy Ivanovich, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Luis Santos, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Luis Santos, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Ковтун Олег, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©shadow888, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Lina, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©getout19, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Amanda Cogan Barber, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Amanda Cogan Barber, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Amanda Cogan Barber, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Amanda Cogan Barber, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©varsh_03, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©varsh_03, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Stefan Pav, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Nandhini, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Nandhini, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Sokolov Yuriy Ivanovich, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Sokolov Yuriy Ivanovich, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©varsh_03, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©varsh_03, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©varsh_03, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©varsh_03, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©varsh_03, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Sven Eisenbiegler, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Sven Eisenbiegler, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Sven Eisenbiegler, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Sven Eisenbiegler, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Charcos Companhia, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Charcos Companhia, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Charcos Companhia, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Charcos Companhia, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Thijs Valkenburg, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Thijs Valkenburg, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Andre Hosper, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Andre Hosper, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Andre Hosper, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Andre Hosper, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Andre Hosper, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Sarzedas, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Sarzedas, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Sally Anderson, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©rorymacneil, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©rorymacneil, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©rorymacneil, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©rorymacneil, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©rorymacneil, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©rorymacneil, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©rorymacneil, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Екатерина, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Екатерина, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Екатерина, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©holawa, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Jeanb17, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©trarieux79, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©trarieux79, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Peter Gabler, some rights reserved (CC0)
Donax trunculus
©João Esteves, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Frédéric ANDRE, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Frédéric ANDRE, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©alexf23, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Екатерина, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Екатерина, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Екатерина, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Dennis Rabeling, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-ND)
Donax trunculus
©Dennis Rabeling, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-ND)
Donax trunculus
©joseronchel, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©joseronchel, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©moovendankings, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©moovendankings, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Associação Vita Nativa, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Associação Vita Nativa, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©flowergirl_madras, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©varsh_03, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©varsh_03, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©flowergirl_madras, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©flowergirl_madras, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©flowergirl_madras, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©flowergirl_madras, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Charcos Companhia, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Charcos Companhia, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©trarieux79, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©trarieux79, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©trarieux79, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©trarieux79, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©lizard--o_o, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©lizard--o_o, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©lizard--o_o, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©lizard--o_o, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Jeanb17, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©fanny_sp, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©fanny_sp, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Octávio Mateus, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Octávio Mateus, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Bernat Espigulé, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Mika Tomta, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Mika Tomta, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Mika Tomta, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Mika Tomta, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Koray Öğreten, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Koray Öğreten, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Koray Öğreten, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©ivonnekellner, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Anastasia_Surkova, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Octávio Mateus, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Octávio Mateus, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Michail Michalakopoulos, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Michail Michalakopoulos, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Michail Michalakopoulos, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Almantas Kulbis, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Almantas Kulbis, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Almantas Kulbis, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Markus Krieger, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Markus Krieger, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Sarzedas, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Sarzedas, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Elisabeth Mettler, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Thomas Guggemoos, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Σάββας Ζαφειρίου (Savvas Zafeiriou), some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Σάββας Ζαφειρίου (Savvas Zafeiriou), some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©David Sandler, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Attila Oláh, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Attila Oláh, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Attila Oláh, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©lorenzodotti, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Emanuele Santarelli, some rights reserved (CC-BY-SA)
Donax trunculus
©Emanuele Santarelli, some rights reserved (CC-BY-SA)
Donax trunculus
©Le naturaliste, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-SA)
Donax trunculus
©Anna Meberg, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Anna Meberg, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Anna Meberg, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Anna Meberg, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Anna Meberg, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Anna Meberg, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Claude Kolwelter, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Claude Kolwelter, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Platon Kleanthidis, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©faluke, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Amanda Cogan Barber, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Andrea Kreuzhage, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Andrea Kreuzhage, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Andrea Kreuzhage, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Andrea Kreuzhage, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Joan Ventura, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©anasacuta, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©anasacuta, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Donax trunculus
©Valentina, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Valentina, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©marsel mersinaj, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Екатерина, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Екатерина, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©faluke, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©faluke, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©milodavid, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©heidelaeufer, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Donax trunculus
©Julien Bottinelli, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)