Lithophaga lithophaga, also known as date shell or date mussel, is a species of Bivalvia belonging to the family Mytilidae.
The Lithophaga lithophaga's name is derived from the Greek word lithos: meaning rock/stone and the Greek word phaga/phago: meaning to eating or devouring.
Shells of Lithophaga lithophaga can reach a length of about 8.5 centimetres (3.3 in). They are yellowish or brownish, almost cylindrical, rounded at both ends. The interior is whitish iridescent purple with a pink tinge. These shells are relatively thin. The surface is nearly smooth, covered with growth lines, which sometimes can be quite rough.
This species can be found in northeast Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. They are found on the Adriatic coast of Croatia and Montenegro under the name prstaci.
These bivalves live mainly in the area battered by the waves, but they can reach depths of 125 to 200 m. They bore into marine rocks, producing a boring called Gastrochaenolites. Their growth is very slow, and to reach the 5 cm length, they require 15 to 35 years. They feed on plankton, algae and debris by filtering them from the water. They reach the sexual maturity after about two years. The number of eggs that are released in a season reach about 120,000 to about 4.5 million. The fertilization takes place in the open water.
