combshell

<em>Glycymeris glycymeris</em>, the common comb shell or dog cockle, is a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Glycymerididae. It has been recorded from Belgian, Dutch, and Norwegian waters, indicating distribution along the northeastern Atlantic coast of Europe. The species inhabits sandy and gravelly seabeds in shallow to moderately deep coastal waters, where it burrows partially into sediments. Its shell is robust, nearly circular in outline, and ornamented with fine radial ribs crossed by concentric growth lines, producing a surface texture that may resemble a comb pattern. <em>G. glycymeris</em> is a filter feeder that extracts suspended organic particles and phytoplankton from the water column. The species has been used as a high-resolution archive of environmental conditions due to the annual growth increments preserved in its shell. It has not been formally assessed by the IUCN. Specific quantitative biological metrics are not provided in the current record.