New records and ecological insights of Spondylus limbatus (Bivalvia, Spondylidae) from the Panamic Province

Although Spondylus limbatus is a fishery resource in several Latin American countries and has been widely reported throughout the Panamic Province, gaps remain in the knowledge of its distribution and ecology. This bivalve has been exploited since pre-Hispanic times, although the specific harvesting grounds are still uncertain. To contribute to malacological issues of both archaeological and contemporary interest, we established a reference collection that will serve as a basis for future studies, particularly geochemical analyses. Sampling consisted of recovering approximately four individuals per locality, obtained mainly from local food consumption, while recording information on their provenance and collection environment, amongst other data. In total, 180 individuals were recovered from shallow waters at 72 localities distributed across eight countries of the region. Collection sites included open coasts, gulf and bays that may comprise islands and shoals. This work documents new localities in areas where previous information was scarce or absent, such Jalisco in Mexico and El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama, thereby significantly expanding current knowledge of the distribution of this species.