Baggy Pen Shell

Occurrence evidence

NOAA HCRI report records source-name Pinna saccata in Kauaʻi reef survey; a 2012 community observation corroborates continued occurrence.

Names and classification

Scientific name

Streptopinna saccata

Common names

Baggy pen shell · pen shell

Family

Pinnidae

Order

Ostreida

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Kauaʻi occurrence

Authoritative Kauaʻi occurrence is established, but the authoritative source is historical or undated; later community observations are corroborative only and do not establish present-day persistence.

Origin

Indigenous

Conservation status

Not assessed

Evidence date

2026-10-01

Evidence limits

The November 2002 survey is direct historical Kauaʻi evidence. Current abundance, population extent, trend and reproduction season remain unassessed.

Habitat and ecology

Habitats

Marine reef and nearshore

Process and seasonal context

Seasonal description

A thin, ruffled pen shell documented at Hoʻai Bay in a November 2002 Kauaʻi reef survey. The complete adult reconstruction shows the wedge-shaped shell in representative sandy reef habitat; current abundance has not been assessed.

Sources and further reading

• Coles et al. (2004), Appendix B p.76 and KARA4 station description — Kauaʻi survey evidence
• Keoki Stender — shell morphology and Hawaiian habitat
• MolluscaBase / WoRMS — accepted Streptopinna saccata identity