Habitat: Present in the intertidal and shallow water. It is a very common species. Distribution: This species has been reported from North Carolina to the West Indies. Natural History Notes: This species is often confused with other species because once the shell is exposed to the sunlight, it losses its colored line pattern on the shell. Characteristics: Plicatula gibbosa has a length of 1 inch. The shell is quite solid and shows and fan shape. The right valve is larger than the left one. The color pattern consists of a white backgrounf with grey and reddish lines.