Acesta excavata (Fabricius, 1779)
Norway to the Gulf of Guinea, Azores to Tyrrhenian Sea. Suspension feeder, attached to hard substrate, locally in the circalittoral in the north, more commonly on the continental edge, down to bathyal depths. The species is often found on cold water corals. Original taxon: Ostrea excavata.
 
« Testa magna cardinis fossula transversa atra, nitida. Margo introrsum elevatus ad angulum rectum cum testa, in medio fovea lata obliqua versus apicem sensim attenuata impressa. » – J. C. fabricius: Reise nach Norwegen mit Bemerkungen aus der Naturhistorie und Oekonomie, Hamburg 1779, p.368.
 
The valves are moderately convex, oval in shape, with a straight dorsal anterior margin and a radiating sculpture made up of about 100 narrow ribs.

Above and below: 400m deep, Alborán Island. 87,5mm.
Source: gruppomalacologicoscalaria.org.
Original pictures provided by A. Nappo (IT).
– (CC BY-NC-SA) –
Inner margins slightly crenulated, but « crenulations fading with growth » (MBSBI).
40m deep, on a cliff at Lysefjorden, Rogaland County, SW. Norway. The colour of the animal varies from orange to red. Original picture provided by E. Svensen for Wikimedia Commons – (CC BY-SA).

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