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Phylum
Mollusca
Class
Bivalvia
Bivalves
| Mollusks with left & right shells called valves attached by a
hinge. The muscular foot is reduced in some families.
Sessile species are typically attached to the substrate by tough byssal
threads. They feed by filtering phytoplankton & bacteria from
the water column and may not be safe to consume after blooms of toxic
dinoflagellates, sometimes referred to as red tides. |
HAWAII
Family Arcidae
Arc Shells
Arca ventricosa
| Abundant on vertical faces at scuba depths. Snaps tightly to
substrate when disturbed. Attains 3 inches. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Barbatia (Acar) divaricata
Ala Moana, Oahu, 30 feet
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Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 50 feet
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| Common in groups under stones at any depth. Attains 1 inch.
Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. |
Barbatia tenella
| Uncommon under stones at any depth. Shells are covered with thin
periostracum. Attains 1 inch. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Barbatia decussata
| Rare under dead coral in Kaneohe Bay. Attains 3 inches. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Barbatia nuttingi
| Uncommon under stones at any depth. Attains 1/2 inch.
Endemic to Hawaii. |
Family Mytilidae
Mussels
Brachidontes
crebristriatus 
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Kaupo,
Waimanalo, Oahu |
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Makapu'u, Oahu, 10 feet |
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Makai Pier, Waimanalo, Oahu
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Puako, Hawaii
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Diamond Head, Oahu |
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HAWAIIAN MUSSEL
| Forms mats in rough shallow water among algal turf & sand.
Attains 1 inch. Endemic to Hawaii. |
Lithophaga fasciola
| Common in burrows of limestone reef rock at any depth. Preyed
upon by murex shells.
Attains 1 inch. Endemic to Hawaii. |
Modiolus matris
| Uncommon under stones in 15 to 30 feet. Broadly rhomboidal,
orange-brown to red with thin hairy periostracum. Fine concentric
growth rings. Attains 1/2 inch. Endemic to Hawaii. |
Septifer bryanae
Mokapu, Oahu, 130 feet |
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| Common under stones or in algal mat to 100 feet. Slipper shaped,
green, yellow, red, or brown. Shell
covered by thin hairy periostracum. Attains 3/4 inch. Hawaii
& the Marshall Islands. |
Family Pinnidae
Pen Oysters
Streptopinna saccata
BAGGY PEN SHELL
| Uncommon in sand beneath rocks and in narrow crevices. Up to 5 inches wide.
Hawaii & the Indo-West Pacific. |
Pinna muricata
PRICKLY PEN SHELL
| Rare in sand except in very deep water where they form beds.
About 6 inches. Hawaii & the Indo-West Pacific. |
Pinna bicolor
Sea Tiger, Oahu, 120 feet |
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BICOLOR PEN SHELL
| Rare in sand except in very deep water.
About 6 inches. Hawaii & the Indo-West Pacific. |
Family Pteriidae
Pearl Oysters
Pinctada margaritifera
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Blowhole, Oahu, 30
feet
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Lanai Lookout, Oahu, 30 feet |
Sharks Cove, Oahu, 25 feet
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Juvenile, Kewalo, Oahu, 80 feet
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Kewalo Hump, Oahu, 90 feet |
Pokai Bay, Oahu, 15 feet |
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BLACKLIPPED PEARL OYSTER
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Uncommon in shallow water
and scuba depths firmly attached to the substrate. Easily identified by
fringes along opening. Produces high-quality pearls and cultured extensively
in French Polynesia. Formerly
abundant and harvested to near-extinction at Pearl Harbor and Pearl
& Hermes Reef. It is illegal to collect this species.
Hawaii & the Indo-West Pacific.
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Pinctada radiata
PEARL OYSTER
| Uncommon in harbors and bays with freshwater input. Margin not
fringed. Up to 4 inches. Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. |
Pteria brunnea
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Kaumalapau, Lana'i, 140 feet
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Red Hill, Hawaii, 100 feet |
Molokini Back Wall, 75 feet |
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WINGED PEARL OYSTER
| Uncommon on Antipatharians
at depths greater than 60 feet. Up to 4 inches. Endemic to
Hawaii. |
Family Isognomonidae
Toothed Pearl Oysters
Isognomon
californicum
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Kapoho Point, Kailua, Oahu
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Makai Pier, Waimanalo, Oahu |
Diamond Head, Oahu |
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BLACK PURSE SHELL
| Common on rocks in the splash zone. About 1.5 inch.
Endemic to Hawaii. |
Isognomon incisum
| Common in crevices in shallow water. Attains 3
inches. Endemic to Hawaii. |
Isognomon
perna
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Kapoho Point, Kailua, Oahu
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Ft. Kamehameha, Oahu, 3 feet
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Wailupe, Oahu, 2 feet |
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BROWN PURSE SHELL
| Common under rocks in shallow water. Tan with radiating brown
ribs. About 2 inches. Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. |
Isognomon legumen
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Portlock, Oahu, 35 feet
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Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 50 feet
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Sand Island Pipe, Oahu, 70 feet |
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| Uncommon at scuba depths. Shell is quite thin with fine
concentric growth rings, cream with white interior. About 2
inches. Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. |
Family Pectinidae
Scallops
Laevichlamys
irregularis
IRREGULAR SCALLOP
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Uncommon under stones and in dead coral at scuba
depths. Attains 1.5 inch. Seychelles to Hawaii & the
Tuamotus. Formerly known as Chlamys irregularis. |
Chlamys coruscans hawaiensis
HAWAIIAN DWARF SCALLOP
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Endemic Hawaiian subspecies. Common in dead coral,
under stones, or embedded in sandy algal mat. Attains 3/4 inch. |
Decatopecten noduliferum
SUNRISE SCALLOP
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Uncommon in sand & rubble in deep water.
Worn shells often beach collected during large winter surf.
Attains 1 inch. Hawaii
& the Indo-West Pacific. |
Family Spondylidae
Thorny Oysters
Spondylus
violacescens
Blowhole, Oahu, 20 feet
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Kahe Point, Oahu, 20 feet |
Sea Tiger Wreck, Oahu, 95 feet |
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CLIFF OYSTER
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Common on vertical surfaces exposed to current or surge.
Attains 6 inches. Inner margin is purple with brown ribs.
A Pearlfish
inhabits the mantle cavity of some oysters. Spondylus tenebrosus is a
synonym. Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.
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Spondylus nicobaricus
Sharks Cove, Oahu, 25 feet
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Juvenile, Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 50 feet |
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SPINY OYSTER
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Common under stones and shady vertical
surfaces. Interior and lip is white. Attains 4 inches.
Spondylus hystrix is a synonym. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Spondylus linguaefelis
South Shore, Oahu, 90 feet |
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| Rare on walls & cavern ceilings in deep water. Yellow,
orange, or wine. Attains 3 inches. Endemic to Hawaii.
Also known as Spondylus gloriosus. |
Family Anomiidae
Saddle Oyster
Anomia nobilis
| Common in harbors. Lower valve has a hole where the byssus
protrudes for attachment to the substrate. Attains 3 inches.
Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. |
Family Limidae
File Oysters
Lima lahaina
LAHAINA FILE OYSTER
| Uncommon in dead coral deeper than 80 feet. Living animal is
bright orange. Attains 1 inch.
Endemic to Hawaii. |
Family
Ostreidae
True
Oysters
Crassostrea
virginica
Moku O Loe, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, 1 foot |
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AMERICAN OYSTER
| Edible oyster introduced to Hawaii from the Atlantic & Gulf coasts of the United
States. Common on seawalls in harbors but infected by a larval
tapeworm. About 4 inches. |
Dendostrea
sandvicensis
Sea Tiger Wreck, Oahu, 80 feet
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Moku O Loe, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, 3 feet
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HAWAIIAN OYSTER
| Abundant in shallow bays and harbors. Up to 2 inches.
Endemic to Hawaii. |
Family Gryphaeidae
Parahyotissa
numisma
Portlock, Oahu, 35 feet |
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HAWAIIAN OYSTER
| Common on the underside of ledges and rocks in shallow water.
Attains 2 inches. Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. Ostrea
thaanumi & Ostrea hanleyana are synonyms. |
Family Chamidae
Rock Oysters
Chama iostoma
Ft. Kamehameha, Oahu, 3 feet |
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JEWEL OYSTER
| Locally common in shallow water and tidepools. Shell is very
thick, smooth with fine concentric growth rings. Interior margin
is purple. Up to 5 inches. Hawaii & the Indo-West
Pacific. |
Chama fibula
Sea Cave, Oahu, 80 feet |
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DWARF JEWEL OYSTER
| Rare in the main Hawaii Islands but common in the NWHI. Shell is very
thick, smooth with fine concentric growth rings. Interior white. Up to
1 inch. Hawaii & Pacific. |
Family Lucinidae
Codakia punctata
| Uncommon in sand & rubble in shallow water. Attains 3
inches. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Ctena bella
| Very common in sand at any depth. Attains 1 inch. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Lucina edentula
Kaneohe Bay, Oahu
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| Uncommon in sand at scuba depths. Shell is strongly
inflated. Attains 1 inch. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Family Lasaeidae
Nesobornia bartschi
| Groups are common under stones in shallow water. Shell is
semi-translucent. Able to move
freely using highly flexible foot. Attains 1/2
inch. Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. |
Kellia hawaiensis
| Found in dead coral at scuba depths. Shell is translucent.
Attains 3/16 inch. Endemic to Hawaii. |
Family Sportellidae
Hitia ovalis
| Uncommon in sand at deeper scuba depths. Shell is solid and
opaque. Attains 1/3 inch. Endemic to Hawaii. |
Family Carditidae
Cardita thaanumi
| Uncommon under stones at any depth. Attains 3/4 inch.
Endemic to Hawaii. |
Family Cardiidae
Fragum mundum
| Fairly common in algal mat in shallow water. Attains 3/4 inch. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Trachycardium orbita
| Uncommon in coarse sand & rubble. Attains 3 inches. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Family Tellinidae
Tellina scobinata
Sand Island Pipe, Oahu, 100 feet
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Portlock, Oahu, 35 feet |
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RASP TELLIN
| Buried in sand at scuba depths. Attains 2.5 inches. Hawaii &
the Indo-Pacific. Formerly known as T. elizabethae. |
Tellina crucigera
| Empty shells are fairly common at scuba depths. Attains 2
inches. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Macoma dispar
| Locally common in sand in brackish water bays. Attains 1.5 inch.
Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Tellina (Arcopagia) robusta
| Uncommon in sand at scuba depths. Attains 3/4 inch. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Tellina (Quidnipagus) palatam
| Locally common in silty sand in shallow water. Attains 4 inches. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Family Trapeziidae
Trapezium oblongum
| Uncommon under dead coral or sandy rubble in shallow water.
Attains 2 inches. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Family Veneridae
Lioconcha hieroglyphica
| Uncommon in sand at any depth. Live shells coated with a thick
brown periostracum. Attains 1.5 inch. Hawaii &
Micronesia. |
Periglypta reticulata
| Fairly common in sand under stones at any depth. Attains 3
inches. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Globivenus toreuma
| Uncommon in sand at scuba depths. Attains 1 inch. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. Formerly known as Venus toreuma. |
Venerupis (Ruditapes) japonica
| Rare in sand in shallow water in except SE Kaneohe Bay. Attains
2 inches. Introduced to Hawaii & North America from the
Indo-Pacific. Formerly known as Tapes japonica. |
Family Gastrochaenidae
Gastrochaena cuneiformis
| Inhabits burrows in massive Porites
coral. Attains 1.5 inch. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
Family Hiatellidae
Hiatella arctica
Ala Moana, Oahu, 50 feet
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| Inhabits crevices or burrows in shallow water. Attains 2 inches
in cold water, but less than 1 inch in Hawaii. Worldwide
distribution. |
INDO-PACIFIC excluding HAWAII
Family Tridacnidae
Giant Clams
Tridacna sp.
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Bora Bora, Society Islands |
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TRIDACNA CLAMS
Family Pectinidae
Scallops
Pedum spondyloideum
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Bora Bora, Society Islands |
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Common in Porites
coral throughout the Indo-Pacific except Hawaii. Two inches wide. |
Family Limidae
File Oysters
Limaria fragile
Mamanucas Is., Fiji |
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FRAGILE FILE OYSTER
| Uncommon in dark holes and under stones at scuba depths. Mantle
displays flashing blue lines. About 1.5 inches wide. Indo-Pacific. |
NORTHEAST PACIFIC
 
Crassedoma giganteum
Ogden Point, Victoria, Canada, 25 feet
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ROCK SCALLOP
| Common on rocks. Up to 8 inches. British Columbia to
Baja California. |
Mytilus californianus
Ogden Point, Victoria, Canada, 5 feet
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CALIFORNIA MUSSEL
| Abundant in beds in shallow water exposed to waves. Black with
radiating ribs. Up to 8 inches. |
Mytilus edulis
Intertidal zone, Victoria, Canada
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BLUE MUSSEL
| Abundant in clusters in shallow quiet water and harbors. Shell
with fine concentric growth rings. About 3 inches. |
Chlamys hastata
Ogden Point, Victoria, Canada, 40 feet
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SPINY SCALLOP
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Locally common in areas exposed to current at scuba
depths. Shell has strong ribs. Up to 3.5 inches.
Alaska to Southern California. |
Chlamys rubida
PACIFIC PINK SCALLOP
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Locally common in areas exposed to current at scuba
depths. Shell has low rounded ribs. Up to 3 inches.
Alaska to Southern California. |
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