Mahogany Date Mussel

Shell size to 35 mm; shell elongate, cylindrical, tapering at posterior end, thin-walled. Two grooves run obliquely from the shell beak to the posterior (rear) area of each valve. The posterior half of each valve can be heavily encrusted with a relatively soft, calcium-carbonate deposit. This deposit projects backward, forming a spatula-like structure that reaches beyond the posterior end of each valve. . A rock-boring species, found in calcium carbonate substrates such as live or dead coral and mollusk shells. The second photo shows a Mahogany Date Mussel boring into the top valve of a jewel box. All specimens from the Museum collection, all collected on Sanibel.