Solemya Lamarck 1818

Figure 2.Solemya (Petrasma) elarraichensis sp. n. A–E from Kidd MV; A–B lateral and dorsal views of holotype C–D lateral and dorsal views of medium sized paratype E lateral view of small paratype. F paired valves from Pen Duick Escarpment G paired valves from Mercator MV H lateral view of specimen from Meknès MV I lateral view of shell from Yuma MV.

Figure 3. A–FInternal views of ligament, scale bars = 5mm. A–D Solemya (Petrasma) elarraichensis sp. n. from A Kidd MV B Pen Duick Escarpment C Mercator MV D Yuma MV. E Solemya togata, Mediterranean F Solemya (Petrasma) velum, Rhode Island (from Taylor et al. 2009). c, chondrophore; cr chondrophore ridge; pa, posterior adductor scar; r, resilium. G posterior siphon of Solemya (Petrasma) elarraichensis. dp, dorsal papilla; dmp, dorsal marginal papillae; psp, primary siphonal papillae; sa, smooth area; ssp, secondary siphonal papillae; ssr, subsiphonal ridge; vp, ventral papilla.

Figure 4. Solemya (Petrasma) elarraichensis sp. n., Pen Duick, stn. AT407GR, 560m. Anatomy. A whole animal viewed from left side B papillae on dorsal anterior mantle edge C single, large papilla in dorsal median position D posterior dorsal dissection showing rectum passing through heart E marginal papillae on foot F papillae on mantle edge surrounding pedal gape G palp. aa, anterior adductor muscle. ct, ctenidium. dap, dorsal anterior papillae. dmp, dorsal median papilla. f, foot. h, heart. k, kidney. me, mantle edge. pa, posterior adductor muscle. pgp, papillae surrounding pedal gape. pp, palp. r, rectum.

To propel itself, Solemya velesiana uses a large extendable foot that is fringed with tentacles - it can also swim by rapidly opening and closing its shell

The shell is brittle and easily cracked. The periostracum broadly overlaps all the free the shell margins. The hinge has no teeth.

Solemya reidi collected in 1980's from Hyperion Outfall, Los Angeles, CA. The posterior end is to the left. (Photo by: Dave Cowles, August 2007)