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Common Jingle Shell

Anomia simplex d'Orbigny 1853

Brief Summary

provided by EOL authors

The Common Jingle Shell (Anomia simplex) occurs along the east coast of North America from Cape Cod to the Caribbean (Gosner 1978) or Brazil (Rehder 1981). North of this range, it is largely replaced by the smaller and more fragile Prickly Jingle (A. aculeata). Common Jingles are found in the subtidal from shallow water to around 18 m. Although they may be found attached to rocks or shells in the lower intertidal zone, they are most commonly encountered as washed up beach shells. The two thin, translucent valves of the shell are dissimilar, the lower (right) valve being flat and more fragile and having a large hole through which a bundle of fleshy calcified byssal threads passes to anchor the live animal to a substrate. Because of the greater fragility of the lower valves, these are much less commonly found on beaches than are the convex upper valves. If the living animal attaches itself to another shell, the sculpture and shape of the upper (left) valve may resemble that of the shell to which it is attached. The shell may reach 75 mm in diameter, but is more typically half that size. (Gosner 1978; Rehder 1981; Fuller et al. 1989)

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Anomia simplex

provided by wikipedia EN

Anomia simplex, the common jingle shell, is a typical species of bivalve mollusc in the family of Anomiidae, sharing attributes to blue mussels, American oysters, and bay scallops.[1] Species related to the family of Anomiidae are often noted for their extremely thin, often translucent, paper-like shells.[2] Anomia simplex can be found in shallow waters, typically estuaries, mainly along the Atlantic Coast of North America; however, they can range from as far north as the coast of Nova Scotia, and as far south as the coast of Brazil.[2]

Description

Anomia simplex is a typical species of bivalve mollusk in the family of Anomiidae, similar to blue mussels, American oysters, and bay scallops.[1] The family of Anomiidae ranges from saltwater clams to bivalve mollusks, which contains about 7 genera, including Anomia simplex. Anomiids are most closely recognized for their extremely thin, often translucent, paper-like shells, which can often be used to help manufacture glue, chalk, paints, and other materials.[2] Despite the relatively thin and translucent shell, these shells are very strong and withstand many environmental pressures on hard substrates.

Anomia simplex have often been referred to as “common jingle shells,” “gold shells,” and even “Mermaid’s Toenails.”[3] The origin of the nickname “common jingle shell” refers to the sound a collection or grouping of these shells will make when carried in a container and mixed around, producing a “jingle.” Also, when several shells are strung together on a coast, they can produce their characteristic chime effect through wave action. Their relative abundance across various coastal regions suggests they are a common shell to come across, and therefore suggests the name of “common jingle shell.”

In terms of physical structure, Anomia simplex can reach up to 1-3 inches and are noted for the dissimilarity between the upper and lower valves of their bivalve conformation.[1] The lower valve of Anomia simplex remains an off-white color, whereas the upper valve can range from shiny lemon yellow, golden, brown, silvery black, and pale buff.[1] The characteristic iridescence of these common bivalve mollusks is retained even well after death. Additionally, common jingle shells are very thin and their shells can range from roughly circular to broadly oval-shaped. Overall, the shell is often translucent, smooth, and displays various growth lines that can mirror the substrate on which they lived.[2]

Distribution and habitat

Anomia simplex is found throughout the year in shallow waters: typically estuaries, bays, or beaches, from the low tide water line all the way up to 30 feet deep. Common jingle shells are found coexisting in oyster beds and mollusk shells as far north as the coast of Nova Scotia, and as far south as the coast of Brazil.[2] Overall, Anomia simplex is densely populated on the Atlantic Coast of North America.

In terms of habitat, these bivalve mollusks attach themselves to hard objects in the water for structure, which can be other shells such as oyster beds and mollusk shells, or simply hard substrate such as a rock.[2] The lower valve is responsible for anchoring the bivalve mollusk onto the substrate, in which it will spend the majority of its lifetime as a filter feeder. Therefore, it is imperative for the bivalve mollusk to anchor itself to a prosperous and nutrient-rich environment in order to ensure the longevity of life.

Biology

Anomia simplex is a species of bivalve mollusk in which each valve is responsible for a set of specific tasks. Moreover, the upper valve is convex and movable, often contributing to the filter-feeding quality of Anomia simplex which is achieved through their ciliated gills.[4] On the other hand, the lower valve is concave and matches the curvature and irregularities of the hard substrate it has attached.[4] Threads or finger-like projections, called byssus, are known for attaching themselves to an object, which protrude from the top of the lower valve through a extruded hole.[2]

The process of anchoring to a hard substrate can be described as metamorphosis or settling, including a larval stage and ultimately leading to an anchored bivalve mollusk configuration. Firstly, Anomia simplex larvae maturing and approaching metamorphosis drop to the bottom of shallow waters, and begin crawling through the use of a strong foot in order to find a hard substrate.[5] Once the suitable substrate is found, the larvae bind to the structure through byssus filaments, which will then be calcified meaning a permanent bond is formed. Lastly, anomia simplex will end metamorphosis by the development of well-structured gills, which aid in food absorption by the mollusk and will be the primary source of nutrients for the remainder of the lifetime of Anomia simplex.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Jingle Shell". www.edc.uri.edu. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Long Beach Island | Anomia simplex". www.longbeachislandjournal.com. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  3. ^ Scientist, Beach Chair (2012-12-05). "Jingle shells, jingle shells, jingle all the way". Beach Chair Scientist. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  4. ^ a b Fuller, S. Cynthia; Lutz, Richard A.; Hu, Ya-Ping (1989-08-01). "Bilateral Asymmetry in the Shell Morphology and Microstructure of Early Ontogenetic Stages of Anomia simplex". The Biological Bulletin. 177 (1): 83–95. doi:10.2307/1541837. ISSN 0006-3185. JSTOR 1541837.
  5. ^ a b Loosanoff, V. L. (1961). "Partial Metamorphosis in Anomia simplex". Science. 133 (3470): 2070–2071. Bibcode:1961Sci...133.2070L. doi:10.1126/science.133.3470.2070. ISSN 0036-8075. JSTOR 1707863. PMID 13763412. S2CID 24114752.
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Anomia simplex: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Anomia simplex, the common jingle shell, is a typical species of bivalve mollusc in the family of Anomiidae, sharing attributes to blue mussels, American oysters, and bay scallops. Species related to the family of Anomiidae are often noted for their extremely thin, often translucent, paper-like shells. Anomia simplex can be found in shallow waters, typically estuaries, mainly along the Atlantic Coast of North America; however, they can range from as far north as the coast of Nova Scotia, and as far south as the coast of Brazil.

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Distribution

provided by World Register of Marine Species
Canadian coast to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Florida, to Texas to Brazil, Bermuda

Reference

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)

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WoRMS Editorial Board
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Kennedy, Mary [email]

Habitat

provided by World Register of Marine Species
infralittoral and circalittoral of the Gulf and estuary

Reference

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)

license
cc-by-4.0
copyright
WoRMS Editorial Board
contributor
Kennedy, Mary [email]