Anomia ephippium

A. ephippium is found primarily in sheltered conditions in the low intertidal and sublittoral zones.^[1] They are a benthic species that lives in depths from 25-200m.

They are distributed along coasts around the world. They are found on the South and West coasts of Britain, stretching North to Shetland and are also found on all coasts of Ireland. They are also found along the Atlantic Coasts of the United States ranging from Massachusetts to Florida.^[1] Specifically within the Massachusetts region, they have commonly been found in the Woods Hole region. ^[2]

A. ephippium is commonly known as a jingle shell or saddle oyster.^[3] A. ephippium are described to have concave, semi-transparent shells of orange, yellow, and salmon-like colors. ^[4] The sizes range from sizes from an inch to more across. Within the bivalve itself, a thin flat shell may be found within, located under the valve of the specimen. When living, they are commonly found attached to other shells or stones, and can also be found attached to oysters. The mechanism by which they are able to attach themselves to these surfaces is by a muscle which passes through a large hole, located in the under-valve region of the specimen. ^[4]

A. ephippium has a 2–3 cm large thin, brittle, translucent shell structured by foliated calcite. While calcitic shells are typically white, the concentrations of polyenes A. ephippium's shells give them hues ranging from white to yellow to gray to orange.