Dosinia lupinus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Iceland to Baltic, Norway to Ghana (if not confused with afra Lin.), Azores to Mediterranean & Black Sea. Absent in southern North Sea. Filter feeder, burrowed in various sediments from intertidal grounds down to 140-165m deep.
Original taxon: Venus lupinus.
A specimen from Venezia lagoon, N. Adriatic. 27mm.
The species is smaller than D. exoleta.
4m deep, in sand, Lozari bay, Isola Rossa, Corsica. 29mm.
Synonyms: lincta, lupinina, lunaris…
On beach, south of the river mouth, on right bank, Le Grau du Roi, S. France. 17-19mm.
Above and below:
On beach, Rochelongue, Cap d’Agde, S. France. 18-25mm.
Reduced range of variations. They affect sculpture strength and umbonal color.
Artemis lincta in Forbes & Hanley: A history of British Mollusca and their shells vol. I, London 1853, plate M.
Specimen fro NE. Atlantic:
At low tide on sand, Roc’h Vran, Ker Emma bay, Plouescat, NW. Brittany, NW. France. 26mm.
Dosinia lincta and lupinus in L. Pfeiffer: “Die familie der Venusmuscheln” Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet XI. I, Nürnberg 1869, via BHL.
 
« Artemis lincta – Striae extremely delicate and most closely disposed ; surface not rayed or variegated ; hinder dorsal edge curved and moderately sloping ; posterior dorsal area flattened. » (Forbes & Hanley, 1853).
Arthemis lupinus in G. P. Deshayes: “Hist. Nat. Mollusques t. I”, Exploration scientifique de l’Algérie, Paris 1844-1867, via BHL.
Above and below:
On sand at 100m deep, off Málaga, Andalucia, S. Spain.
Such deep water specimens are thicker than those in shallow water, and much more uncommon. 23,5-24mm.
Above, Dosinia afra (Linnaeus, 1758) from sand banks off Kartong, southern Gambia. 17-24mm.
 
Linnaeus describes lupinus as a « testa lentiformi transversim substriata ano ovato, nymphis nullis. » while afra is « sulcata : umbone acuminato; ano excavato rugoso cordato ». The main difference is in the strength of the commarginal growth striae: thin and weak in lupinus, more marked in afra. Regarding the shape of the pallial sinus, it seems less flattened in afra than in lupinus. The ranges differ also: afra is collected between Gambia and Gabon, while lupinus is european – the records from SW. Africa being questionable.

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