PLICATULIDAE, Gray, 1854

Oliver, P. Graham, Holmes, Anna, Killeen, Ian, Light, Janice & Wood, Harriet, 2004, Annotated checklist of the marine Bivalvia of Rodrigues, Journal of Natural History 38 (23), pp. 3229-3272 : 3243-3244

PLICATULIDAE Plicatula cf. complanata Deshayes, 1863

Habitat. Cemented to the surfaces of coral rubble blocks or limestone rocks from low in the littoral to a few metres.

Distribution. Occasional throughout the lagoon but most common along with Dendrostrea in the high suspension waters off Port Sud-Est.

Remarks. In life it is difficult to distinguish P. cf. complanata from the oysters most often attached to the same rock or dead coral block. Most specimens even if encrusted retain the divergent rib pattern which oysters do not have.

No review of the species of Plicatula has ever been attempted and the nominal Indo-Pacific taxa P. plicata and P. australis could be applied to the range of forms found on Rodrigues. However, there are also regional names available and we have adopted P. complanata based on shells from Réunion.

Range. Réunion.

Figured specimen. Form A 30.0 mm, NMW.Z.2000.086.00052; form B 41.2 mm, NMW.Z.2000.086.00042.