together with the Giant clam Tridacna gigas, one of the biggest molluscs in the
world: its size currently exceeds 80 cm and may reach 1 m. Its longevity is
estimated to be around 30 years.
This species is endemic to the Mediterranean sea and can be observed along
different coasts, in particular along the “co ˆte d’Azur” and around Corsica in France
(Moreteau and Vicente 1982; Medioni and Vicente 2003), the Spanish coast and
around the Balearic Islands (Garcia-March 2003; Garcia-March et al. 2007), on the
Tunisian (Rabaoui et al. 2008), Italian (Centoducati et al. 2007), Greek
(Katsanevakis 2007), and Crete (Katsanevakis and Thessalou-Legaki 2009) coasts.
Pinna nobilis is also well represented in the Adriatic, along the Croatian coast
(Zavodnik 1967; Siletic and Peharda 2003). This species, which lives in the
infralittoral domain between 0.5 m and 30 m depth, grows almost exclusively in
the meadows of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. In its natural environment, the
shell of Pinna nobilis has a very characteristic living position: the pointed anterior
end of the shell – about one-third – is buried in the soft sediment and the elongated
fan-shaped shell is erected more or less vertically. Byssal threads anchor the animal
to underlying stones or other objects. Pinna nobilis lives in small grouping: the
populations are usually patchy and sparse (Katsanevakis 2007).
Although its size rendered it attractive, Pinna nobilis had limited uses throughout history as a marine resource: during the Phenician period, and later, during the
Roman times and until the first world war in Italy and in Malta, the long and solid
byssus (up to 20 cm) – the“sea-silk” – was cut and collected for the making of
tissues, of gloves, or of hats of priceless value (Brisou 1985; Maeder and Halbeisen
2001). Although of moderate taste value, the soft tissues of Pinna nobilis were
consumed in Malta, in Corsica and in former Yougoslavia. The thick nacre of adult
specimens was used for manufacturing clothes buttons, in particular in Sicilia, in
Malta, and in the South of Italy. Natural brown-red pearls of respectable size,
known as the pen shell pearl can be found in adult specimens, but they have no
commercial value (Gauthier et al. 1994). These pearls, known as the prism pearls
(Schmidt 1932), are naturally stained by carotenoid pigments (Karampelas et al.
2009). Until recently, the full empty shell of juvenile or adult specimens was
collected for souvenir purposes. Nowadays, Pinna nobilis is considered as an
endangered species: since 1992, it is registered in the official list established by
the European Union for the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and
flora (Off. J. E. C. L206, 22.7.1992). In some spots (Port-Cros field, mission
“Poseidon”) where populations could be followed during three decades (Vicente
2003), the situation was particularly dramatic few years ago. In protected areas,
nowadays, populations tend to reconstitute again (Medioni and Vicente 2003;
Foulquie ´ and Dupuy de la Grandrive 2003). However, this growth is fragile, and
populations are vulnerable to catastrophic climatic events such as the recent storm
(May 2010) that broke on Co ˆte d’Azur (S. Motreuil, personal communication,
2010). Attempts to capture and recruit larvae on artificial devices, to let them
grow in controlled conditions and to reimplant juveniles in natural environment
may be the best option for reconstituting natural populations (De Gaulejac and
Vicente 1990; Vicente 2003; Cabanellas-Reboredo et al. 2009).
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F. Marin et al.
world: its size currently exceeds 80 cm and may reach 1 m. Its longevity is
estimated to be around 30 years.
This species is endemic to the Mediterranean sea and can be observed along
different coasts, in particular along the “co ˆte d’Azur” and around Corsica in France
(Moreteau and Vicente 1982; Medioni and Vicente 2003), the Spanish coast and
around the Balearic Islands (Garcia-March 2003; Garcia-March et al. 2007), on the
Tunisian (Rabaoui et al. 2008), Italian (Centoducati et al. 2007), Greek
(Katsanevakis 2007), and Crete (Katsanevakis and Thessalou-Legaki 2009) coasts.
Pinna nobilis is also well represented in the Adriatic, along the Croatian coast
(Zavodnik 1967; Siletic and Peharda 2003). This species, which lives in the
infralittoral domain between 0.5 m and 30 m depth, grows almost exclusively in
the meadows of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. In its natural environment, the
shell of Pinna nobilis has a very characteristic living position: the pointed anterior
end of the shell – about one-third – is buried in the soft sediment and the elongated
fan-shaped shell is erected more or less vertically. Byssal threads anchor the animal
to underlying stones or other objects. Pinna nobilis lives in small grouping: the
populations are usually patchy and sparse (Katsanevakis 2007).
Although its size rendered it attractive, Pinna nobilis had limited uses throughout history as a marine resource: during the Phenician period, and later, during the
Roman times and until the first world war in Italy and in Malta, the long and solid
byssus (up to 20 cm) – the“sea-silk” – was cut and collected for the making of
tissues, of gloves, or of hats of priceless value (Brisou 1985; Maeder and Halbeisen
2001). Although of moderate taste value, the soft tissues of Pinna nobilis were
consumed in Malta, in Corsica and in former Yougoslavia. The thick nacre of adult
specimens was used for manufacturing clothes buttons, in particular in Sicilia, in
Malta, and in the South of Italy. Natural brown-red pearls of respectable size,
known as the pen shell pearl can be found in adult specimens, but they have no
commercial value (Gauthier et al. 1994). These pearls, known as the prism pearls
(Schmidt 1932), are naturally stained by carotenoid pigments (Karampelas et al.
2009). Until recently, the full empty shell of juvenile or adult specimens was
collected for souvenir purposes. Nowadays, Pinna nobilis is considered as an
endangered species: since 1992, it is registered in the official list established by
the European Union for the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and
flora (Off. J. E. C. L206, 22.7.1992). In some spots (Port-Cros field, mission
“Poseidon”) where populations could be followed during three decades (Vicente
2003), the situation was particularly dramatic few years ago. In protected areas,
nowadays, populations tend to reconstitute again (Medioni and Vicente 2003;
Foulquie ´ and Dupuy de la Grandrive 2003). However, this growth is fragile, and
populations are vulnerable to catastrophic climatic events such as the recent storm
(May 2010) that broke on Co ˆte d’Azur (S. Motreuil, personal communication,
2010). Attempts to capture and recruit larvae on artificial devices, to let them
grow in controlled conditions and to reimplant juveniles in natural environment
may be the best option for reconstituting natural populations (De Gaulejac and
Vicente 1990; Vicente 2003; Cabanellas-Reboredo et al. 2009).
356
F. Marin et al.