Straw-colored Tellin Shell, Tampaella straminea

 Straw-colored Tellin Shell, Tampaella straminea. Shell collected from the beach at Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur, February 2014. Size: 1.9 cm (0.7 inches) x 1.7 cm (0.7 inches). Identification courtesy of Bob Hillis, Ivins, Utah.

Phylogeny: The Straw-colored Tellin Shell, Tampaella straminea (Deshayes, 1855), is a bivalve mollusk that is a member of the Tellinidae Family of Tellin Clam Shells. The genus Tampaella is one of one hundred four genera in this family, and there are nine species in this genus.

Description: Straw-colored Tellin Shells are thin and only somewhat inflated. They have a trigonal outline with the posterior end being more broadly rounded than the anterior. The exterior is marked with fine, concentric lines. They are white to light-tan in color and slightly iridescent. The Straw-colored Tellin shells reach a maximum of 2.1 cm (0.8 inches) in length and 1.9 cm (0.7 inches) in height.

Habitat and Distribution: Straw-colored Tellins are found on sand. Their depth range is not well documented. They are a subtropical to tropical Eastern Pacific species that are found in all Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean with the exception that they are absent from north of the San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California Sur, along the central and northwest coasts of the Baja Peninsula.

Ecology and Behavior: Straw-colored Tellins are suspension feeders that feed primarily on planktonic algae and suspended organic matter. They are gonochoric and reproduce sexually, through broadcast spawning, with external fertilization. Their engagement in any type of commensal, parasitic, or symbiotic relationship has not been formally documented. From a conservation perspective the Straw-colored Tellin has not been formally evaluated. However, they are fairly common with a relatively wide distribution and should be consider to be of Least Concern.

Synonyms: Tellina (Angulus) suffusa, Tellina (Moerella) straminea, Tellina straminea, and Tellina suffusa.