After the last wintry coastal storms, on the shore of the Torre del Cerrano Marine Protected Area, especially in Zone B (general reserve), several species of molluscs and some sea stars beached. Thousands of shells of different size covered the shore, and many sea birds, such as gulls, benefited of such a tasty and well-served food.
After a few years, I found on the beach also the Trivia multilirata, commonly called Trivia adriatica, small and rare Adriatic gastropod. Its shell is just few millimetres long, of a very light purple colour fading to white at its base. It has a very thick spiral channelling made up of 34/37 teeth on the outer lip: a “chiselling” that really recalls a small decorated jewel or the “shells” of a famous pasta brand from Abruzzo.
This gastropod is probably the least common species of trivia in the Mediterranean Sea. It is spread especially in the Adriatic Sea, a shallow sea and so a unique habitat in the Mediterranean basin.
Finding Romulea rollii last year and Trivia this year has made me complete, with these two rarities, the symbol of the Torre del Cerrano Marine Protected Area.
Translation by Mario Cipollone