Hidden in historical sources: Rediscovering the thorny oyster (Spondylus gaederopus Linnaeus, 1758) in art, archives, and cultural knowledge
- 1Aix-Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Campus Technologique et Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France
- 2Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, TELEMME, Maison Méditerranéenne des Sciences Humaines et sociales, Aix-en-Provence, France
Abstract
The thorny oyster (Spondylus gaederopus), a Mediterranean bivalve prised during prehistoric times for its distinctive spiny purple shell, has since been overlooked in cultural and scientific records. Frequently depicted in Early Modern still-life paintings, particularly in Italian works of the seventeenth century, its representations were historically misidentified as scallops or common oysters. This participated in obscuring the visual evidence of occurrence and human use of this species during this period. Here, we adopt an interdisciplinary approach combining art historical analysis, taxonomic verification, archival research, and ethnobiological investigation to reconstruct the cultural and ecological history of S. gaederopus in Italy. We identify the species in 43 paintings dated between 1635 and 1750, predominantly by members of the Neapolitan Recco family, revealing its former abundance in coastal markets. Complementary historical documents, local knowledge, and oral testimonies confirm its culinary and cultural significance across Italy from the Early Modern period to the twentieth and twentieth-first century. Comparative measurements indicate a decline in average shell size since the seventeenth century, consistent with a potential harvesting pressure. Our findings demonstrate that unconventional sources including visual art, archival records, and oral testimonies can provide rich ecological and cultural insights, recovering lost biodiversity references and revealing human-marine interactions over centuries. Integrating such interdisciplinary evidence not only sheds light on the forgotten history of S. gaederopus but also highlights the potential of combining cultural heritage and scientific research to inform contemporary conservation strategies.
Related
- A chromosome-level genome assembly of an endangered large carnivore, the wolverine, Gulo gulo gulo (Linnaeus, 1758)
- The genome sequence of the Purple-barred Yellow, Lythria purpuraria (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae).
- The genome sequence of the White-banded Grass-moth, Crambus pascuella Linnaeus, 1758 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).
- Chronic Erosive Dermatopathy (CED) Associated with Ectoparasite Infestation in Nile Tilapia Post-Larvae (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758).
- Extended cubs’ care helping as a factor of reproductive success in a resident Golden jackal (Canis aureus Linnaeus, 1758) family group
BibTeX
@article{merquiol2026hidden,
title = {{Hidden in historical sources: Rediscovering the thorny oyster (Spondylus gaederopus Linnaeus, 1758) in art, archives, and cultural knowledge}},
author = {Louise Merquiol and Anne-Sophie Tribot and Daniel Faget and Thomas Changeux},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0356273},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0356273},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Hidden in historical sources: Rediscovering the thorny oyster (Spondylus gaederopus Linnaeus, 1758) in art, archives, and cultural knowledge
AU - Louise Merquiol
AU - Anne-Sophie Tribot
AU - Daniel Faget
AU - Thomas Changeux
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0356273
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0356273
AB - The thorny oyster (Spondylus gaederopus), a Mediterranean bivalve prised during prehistoric times for its distinctive spiny purple shell, has since been overlooked in cultural and scientific records. Frequently depicted in Early Modern still-life paintings, particularly in Italian works of the seventeenth century, its representations were historically misidentified as scallops or common oysters. This participated in obscuring the visual evidence of occurrence and human use of this species during this period. Here, we adopt an interdisciplinary approach combining art historical analysis, taxonomic verification, archival research, and ethnobiological investigation to reconstruct the cultural and ecological history of S. gaederopus in Italy. We identify the species in 43 paintings dated between 1635 and 1750, predominantly by members of the Neapolitan Recco family, revealing its former abundance in coastal markets. Complementary historical documents, local knowledge, and oral testimonies confirm its culinary and cultural significance across Italy from the Early Modern period to the twentieth and twentieth-first century. Comparative measurements indicate a decline in average shell size since the seventeenth century, consistent with a potential harvesting pressure. Our findings demonstrate that unconventional sources including visual art, archival records, and oral testimonies can provide rich ecological and cultural insights, recovering lost biodiversity references and revealing human-marine interactions over centuries. Integrating such interdisciplinary evidence not only sheds light on the forgotten history of S. gaederopus but also highlights the potential of combining cultural heritage and scientific research to inform contemporary conservation strategies.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -