Jingle Shells of the Anomiidae Family

Two Jingle Shells of the Anomiidae Family can be found in this website:

Phylogeny: Jingle Shells of the Anomiidae Family are bivalve mollusks in the order Pectinida . Shells in this order are found in fresh water and marine environments. The superfamily Anomioidea is one of four superfamilies within this order. There are two families within Anomioidea – Anomiidae and Placunidae. There are no subfamilies within the Anomiidae Family, but there are nine genera and twenty-seven species. Shells in this family are also commonly known as Mermaid’s Toenails and Saddle Scallops.

Description: Jingle Shells are thin, sometimes translucent, clam shells that are circular to ovate in outline. They are inequivalve and only somewhat inflated. The valves are irregular, conforming to the solid substrate to which they attach themselves. The right valve has a hole or slot near the hinge through which the byssus grows. Their byssus can become heavily calcified, resembling bone or another shell valve. The hinge plate is short and lacks teeth. The exterior is often foliate and may have commarginal striae or lamellae. Some are sculpted with radial ribs. Shells in this family tend to be whitish, gray, or brown in color, though some are more orange or yellow. The interiors are nacreous. Jingle Shells are medium to large in size, with the largest species reaching 15 cm (5.8 inches) in length.

Habitat and Distribution: Jingle Shells are found attached to hard substrates by their byssus. The live from the intertidal zone to depths of 1,400 m (4,592 feet). Jingle Shells are found worldwide in tropical to temperate seas.  There are six species from the Anomiidae Family are found in Mexican waters.

Natural History: Jingle Shells are suspension feeders, filtering suspended plankton and organic matter from the surrounding water. They are prey for shorebirds, fish, carnivorous mollusks, and sea stars. They are gonochoric and reproduce sexually by broadcast spawning.  They are often colonized by epibionts and boring organisms. The name Jingle Shell comes from the pleasant sound produced when dead shells are struck together. As a result, they are often used in windchimes and mobiles.