Shell: Abra alba

Shells from George Montagu’s collection (syntypes).

Montagu described these specimens as Mactra boisyi in Montagu G 1803. Testacea Britannica. Part 1. p. 98–99, Tab. 3 fig. 7.

For more information see Oliver PG, Morgenroth H (2018) Additional Type and other Notable specimens of Mollusca from the Montagu Collection in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter. Zoosystematics and Evolution 94(2): 281-303. This article is open access.

In January 2020 the Montagu Collection was awarded Designated status by Arts Council England. This mark of distinction recognises the collection’s international significance to the scientific community - it is the most intact and taxonomically important collection of British shells of the early 19th century (1800-1816) to be found anywhere in the UK.

Object Summary

Accession Loan No.
Moll4287
Collection Class
Molluscs
Collection Area Region
Northern Europe
Collector Excavator
Montagu, Colonel George (from the collection of)
Common Name
shell: Abra alba
Simple Name
mollusc: shell
Period Classification
George III (1760-1811)

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SEMELIDAE: Abra alba [Wood]