Key:  Family Cultellidae

Taken primarily from  Kozloff, 1987, 1996  (Copyright 1987, 1996, University of Washington Press.  Used in this web page by permission of University of Washington Press)

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1a	Length sometimes exceeding 18 cm; color mostly uniformly olive-green [or olive-brown], even in small specimens (some, however, have radiating purplish bands near the umbones); anterior edge of internal supporting rib diverging at an angle of about 30 degrees form the dorsoventral axis (intertidal on exposed sandy beaches, and also subtidal)	Siliqua (Siliqua) patula
1b	Length up to about 5 cm; color not primarily olive-green; anterior edge of internal supporting rib diverging not more than 15-20 degrees from the dorsoventral axis	2
2a	Valves with concentric brown bands alternating with light cream or tan bands; subtidal	Siliqua (Siliqua) sloati
2b	Valves with radial bands of a purplish color on a whitish tan background; low intertidal and subtidal (not likely to be found north of California)	Siliqua (Siliqua) lucida

Siliqua (Siliqua) patula