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Aulacomya atra

Aulacomya atra

(Molina, 1782)
Cholga

Family: Mytilidae
Order: Mytiloida
Class: Bivalvia
Phylum / Division: Mollusca
Kingdom: Animalia

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Description


Aulacomya atra, called also the Magellan mussel or the ribbed mussel, is a southern species of edible saltwater mussel, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Mytilidae, the true mussels. Note that the common name ribbed mussel is also used of the Northern Hemisphere mussel Geukensia demissa.

Aulacomya atra is native in South America - in Peru, Chile (where it grows up to 170 mm in length), the Falkland Islands and Argentina. It is also found on the coasts of New Zealand and southern Africa, from Namibia to Port Alfred, South Africa, from the intertidal to 40 m. Introduced specimens have been found in Moray Firth, Scotland.
In Southern Africa the species grows up to 90 mm in length. It usually lives in crowded intertidal beds. Individual animals have brown ribbed shells, which darken to black with age.

Source: Wikipedia, article Aulacomya atra. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 16/07/2026.





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Species photographs

Count: 15

Foto
Photography ID: 622973
  Adult

Biedma
Chubut
Argentina
10/29/2023
Tiziano Luka Pesci Rubilar
Foto
Photography ID: 535105
 
Puerto Deseado
Santa Cruz
Argentina
04/19/2023
Adrian Braidotti
Foto
Photography ID: 535104
 
Puerto Madryn
Chubut
Argentina
04/22/2023
Adrian Braidotti
Foto
Photography ID: 527149
  Adult

Puerto Madryn
Chubut
Argentina
01/22/2023
Diego Alfonso Rosa
Foto
Photography ID: 527148
  Adult

Puerto Madryn
Chubut
Argentina
01/22/2023
Diego Alfonso Rosa
Foto
Photography ID: 484422
  Adult

Península valdes
Chubut
Argentina
02/23/2022
Hugo Alberto Valderrey
Foto
Photography ID: 483672
 
Puerto Deseado
Santa Cruz
Argentina
01/31/2022
Jorgelina Lopez
Foto
Photography ID: 433743
  Adult

Rawson
Chubut
Argentina
02/08/2020
Roberto Battaglia



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Species records

Count: 28



Page 1 of 3
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
237950013/10/2025ArgentinaChubutPlaya UniónMarcos Garberoglio
237962911/10/2025ArgentinaChubutÁrea Natural Protegida El DoradilloMarcos Garberoglio
225056529/10/2023ArgentinaChubutA.n.p El Doradillo, BiedmaTiziano Luka Pesci Rubilar
176527722/04/2023ArgentinaChubutPuerto MadrynAdrian Braidotti
176527819/04/2023ArgentinaSanta CruzPuerto Deseado, Puerto DeseadoAdrian Braidotti
173207922/01/2023ArgentinaChubutEl Doradillo, Puerto MadrynDiego Alfonso Rosa
173207822/01/2023ArgentinaChubutPlaya Muelle Chico, Puerto MadrynDiego Alfonso Rosa
155338423/02/2022ArgentinaChubutPenínsula valdesHugo Alberto Valderrey
154740516/02/2022ArgentinaChubutPuerto MadrynNicolas Olejnik
155071531/01/2022ArgentinaSanta CruzReserva Natural Ria Deseado, Puerto DeseadoJorgelina Lopez
Page 1 of 3

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Aulacomya atra – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 14/09/2026.