Venerupis Aurea (Gmelin)

Family Veneridae

REMARKS This is half the size of the preceding species and has only concentric lines on the shell and the markings shown in the drawing. The inner side of the valves is usually golden-yellow. The species, which is common in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, is also found in British waters and even further north. Its English name is golden carpet-shell. This touch of gold permits us to distinguish the species from various close relations, the classification of which seems to be in a constant state of flux. It is enough to say that there are several of them, and that they all share the names clovisse in France and vongola in Italy.