Similar Cardita Shell, Carditamera affinis

Similar Cardita Shell, Carditamera affinis. Shell collected off the beach at Km 26, Cero Colorado, Baja California Sur, March 2010. Size: 3.7 cm (1.5 inches) x 2.0 cm (0.8 inches).

Similar Cardita Shell, Carditamera affinis. Shell collected off the beach in the greater Punta Chivato area, Baja California Sur, December 2022.  Size: 5.1 cm (2.0 inches) x 2.6 cm (1.0 inches) x 1.0 cm (0.4 inches). Photograph and Identification courtesy of Colin Campbell, DVM, Punta Chivato, Baja California Sur.

The Similar Cardita, Carditamera affinis (G.B. Sowerby I, 1833), is a bivalve mollusk that is a member of the Carditidae Family of Little Hearts. The shell has a rounded trapezoid shape and is strongly ribbed with a scaly surface. The exterior of the shell is yellowish brown to dark brown in color and the interior is white with brown margins. The Similar Cardita Shell reach a maximum of 10 cm (3.9 inches) in length and  5.4 cm (2.2 inches) in height.

Similar Carditas are found under rocks in the intertidal zone to depths up to 91 m (300 feet). They are found in the Sea of Cortez from Punta Pequena, Baja California south to Peru including the Galapagos Islands.

Synonyms include Cardita affini, Cardita californica, and Cardita volucris.