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The longest-living noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis) in our sanctuary, Morana, turned four years old on December 1. As a small pen shell with a big mission, she will soon become the centerpiece of a new multimedia exhibit dedicated to the aquarium’s work in conserving this critically endangered species. Currently, the only known individual to have survived contact with the deadly parasite H. pinnae, she offers hope for the development of resistance and provides a rare insight into the species’ evolution.
Interestingly, on the day she was discovered—December 1, 2021—on collectors near Plavnik Island, in collaboration with the Public Institution “Priroda” (Primorje-Gorski Kotar County), the Natural History Museum Rijeka, and the Pelagos Diving Center, Morana was just 1.5 cm long. Today, she reaches 11.5 cm above the sand, and we estimate her total length exceeds 20 cm. Over the past two years, her growth has accelerated significantly, with the most recent recorded rate at 11.6 cm per year.
The growth acceleration occurred after relocating her into sediment on July 24, 2023, while additional progress was made in 2024 by enriching her cultivated phytoplankton diet and introducing more varied food. At that time, Morana reached a growth rate of 8.3 cm per year, comparable to the natural rate of 10 cm per year.
