Smooth Lucine or Buttercup Lucine
Phylum: Mollusca, Class: Bivalvia, Order: Venerida, Family: Lucinidae, Genus: Anodontia, Species: Anodontia alba · Lucinidae (Lucine family) · Bivalve, whole shell, rounded disc shape
Species
Anodontia alba
Shell Type
Bivalve, whole shell, rounded disc shape
Family
Lucinidae (Lucine family)
Size
Approximately 1 to 2 inches in width, which is average for this species. Adults typically range from 1 to 3 inches.
Color & Pattern
Creamy white base color with soft, warm orange or peach gradients concentrated near the umbo and margins. The surface is glossy and smooth with fine, concentric growth lines.
Rarity
Common
Habitat
Shallow subtidal marine environments, typically found burrowing in fine sand, mud, or seagrass beds.
Geographic Range
Tropical and subtropical waters of the Western Atlantic, including the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and south to Brazil.
Description
An attractive, robust bivalve shell with a rounded to sub-circular outline. The exterior features a smooth, polished texture accented by very fine concentric growth lines and a delicate cream-and-orange gradient. The margins are smooth, and the interior is porcelain-white with simple muscle scars.
Key Features
Sub-circular or rounded shape, lack of prominent teeth on the hinge plate, smooth exterior with subtle concentric lines, and distinctive warm orange-to-cream coloration.
Collector Value
Low to moderate commercial value, widely collected by beachcombers and appreciated for its clean shape and pastel colors.
Condition Notes
Gem condition, fully intact shell with bright natural color, no major chips, cracks, or boring sponge holes.
Interesting Facts
Lucine clams have a unique symbiotic relationship with chemosynthetic bacteria housed in their gills, which provide them with nutrients.
Ecological Role
Serves as an important prey item for bottom-feeding marine predators like rays and large gastropods, while contributing to nutrient cycling in benthic sediment.
Similar Species
Codakia orbicularis (Tiger Lucine), which features a more heavily ribbed or cross-hatched exterior surface compared to the smooth surface of Anodontia alba.
Beach Finding Tips
Look along tropical sandy beaches and tidal flats following storms or rough wave action, particularly near seagrass beds where live colonies burrow.
Notes
Small smooth cream and orange shell