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Southwest Florida Shells with Emphasis on Sanibel & Captiva

José H. Leal

Family Glycymerididae

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Glycymeris americana

(DeFrance, 1826)

Giant Bittersweet

Shell size to 100 mm; shell large, almost circular, compressed. Umbones at midpoint of hinge. Hinge teeth reduced under umbones. Sculpture of numerous low ribs. Margins of valves crenulated. Color white-gray, drab-gray, or tan, seldom with rusty-brown markings. The periostracum is brown, velvety. The photo of the live bittersweet was taken in a research cruise in the NE Gulf of MEexico in 2021.

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