comb bathyark
Bathyarca pectunculoides
The comb bathyark (Bathyarca pectunculoides) is a small, deep-sea bivalve mollusk characterized by its distinctive ribbed shell with comb-like ridges that give it its common name. This filter-feeding clam plays an important ecological role in deep-sea benthic communities by processing organic matter and serving as prey for various bottom-dwelling fish and invertebrates.
42
Countries
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Pero Ugarković, all rights reserved, uploaded by Pero Ugarković
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Mollusca
Class
Bivalvia
Order
Arcida
Family
Arcidae
Genus
Bathyarca
comb bathyark belongs to the family Arcidae, order Arcida, within the Bivalvia class.
Species Profile
The comb bathyark (Bathyarca pectunculoides) is a small, deep-sea bivalve mollusk characterized by its distinctive ribbed shell with comb-like ridges that give it its common name. This filter-feeding clam plays an important ecological role in deep-sea benthic communities by processing organic matter and serving as prey for various bottom-dwelling fish and invertebrates.
The comb bathyark faces significant threats from deep-sea fishing activities, particularly bottom trawling, which physically damages its benthic habitat and directly removes individuals from populations. Climate change-induced ocean acidification poses an additional threat by affecting the species' ability to maintain its calcium carbonate shell, while deep-sea mining activities increasingly threaten the integrity of its seafloor environment.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Deep-sea benthic environments on continental shelves and slopes, typically found in soft sediments at depths ranging from 200 to 2000 meters. The species inhabits cold-water marine ecosystems where it burrows in muddy and sandy substrates of the abyssal and bathyal zones.
Threats
Bottom trawling and deep-sea fishing
Ocean acidification from climate change
Deep-sea mining activities
Habitat degradation from sediment disturbance
Limited dispersal ability affecting population recovery
Found in 42 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). comb bathyark (Bathyarca pectunculoides). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/comb-bathyark