Tawera elliptica (Lamarck, 1818)
Gay's little venus
almeja,  almeja Juliana,  almejita,  juliana o tawera,  Little clam
Tawera elliptica
photo by FAO

Family:  Veneridae (venus clams)
Max. size:  2.803 cm SHH (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthic; marine; depth range 2 - 250 m
Distribution:  Southeast Pacific and Southwest Atlantic: from Valparaiso to Magallanes, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil then south to Falkland Islands.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Maximum length is based on data from Chile (Ref. 81902). Maximum depth from Ref. 111854. It is an infaunal species found on sandy, muddy, gravel and shell covered substrates at depths of 2 to 80 meters. Gonochoric species with free-living larvae (Ref. 87801). It is found in forests of Macrocystis pyrifera (Ref. 92889).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans: 
Country info:  Known from Valparaiso to Cape Horn (Ref. 111858); from Gulf of Corcovado, Traiguen Island, Punta Santa Maria, Dawson Island, Carlos III Island, and Puerto Williams (Ref. 114146). C: Refs. 87801, 90098, 111854, 111858, 114146.

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