Mercenaria

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Mercenaria
Temporal range: Upper Oligocene–present, 28.1–0  Ma [1]
LittleNeck clams USDA96c1862.jpg
Hard clams Mercenaria mercenaria
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Bivalvia
Order: Venerida
Superfamily: Veneroidea
Family: Veneridae
Genus: Mercenaria
Schumacher, 1817
Species

6 extant species (see text)

Mercenaria is a genus of edible marine bivalves in the family Veneridae, the Venus clams. [2] [3] The genus includes the quahogs, consisting of Mercenaria mercenaria, the northern quahog or hard clam, and M. campechiensis, the southern quahog, [2] both important species for human consumption. [4]

Contents

Left valve interior of Mercenaria mercenaria Mercenaria081111.jpg
Left valve interior of Mercenaria mercenaria

Species

The World Register of Marine Species accepts the following extant species as valid: [2]

Mercenaria mercenaria and M. campechiensis can hybridise where their ranges overlap. [4]

Fossils species

Several other species are known only from fossils. These mollusk are known since the Upper Oligocene (28.1–23.03 Ma). Fossil shells have been found in the sediments of Russia, Japan, Indonesia, Haiti, United States, and Brazil. [1] At least the following species or subspecies are known from fossils: [2] [1]

Fossil shell of Mercenaria permagna, Pleistocene of United States Tellus Mercenaria.jpg
Fossil shell of Mercenaria permagna , Pleistocene of United States

The World Register of Marine Species lists Mercenaria cuneata and M. violacea as synonyms of extant species. [2]

Pearls

A large quahog pearl and diamond ring, in platinum. GIA 11.26 ct. Quahog Pearl, Diamond, and Platinum Ring by Global Gemology.jpg
A large quahog pearl and diamond ring, in platinum.
A collection of quahog pearls, ranging in color from white to purple. Global Gemology's Collection of Quahog Pearls - From White to Purple.png
A collection of quahog pearls, ranging in color from white to purple.

The northern quahog clam is known for producing very rare and collectible, non-nacreous pearls known for their purple color. Quahog pearls are often button-shaped, and can range in color from white to lavender, to purple. [6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Mercenaria Schumacher 1817". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Bieler R, Bouchet P, Gofas S, Marshall B, Rosenberg G, La Perna R, Neubauer TA, Sartori AF, Schneider S, Vos C, ter Poorten JJ, Taylor J, Dijkstra H, Finn J, Bank R, Neubert E, Moretzsohn F, Faber M, Houart R, Picton B, Garcia-Alvarez O, eds. (2025). "Mercenaria Schumacher, 1817". MolluscaBase. World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  3. ↑ "Mercenaria Schumacher, 1817". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  4. 1 2 Heekenda, Erangi J.; Austin, James D.; Zhang, Zhe; Yang, Huiping (2020). "Phenotypic and genetic identification of Mercenaria mercenaria, Mercenaria campechiensis, and their hybrids". Journal of Shellfish Research. 39 (3): 535–546. doi:10.2983/035.039.0304.
  5. ↑ Shirai, Kotaro; Kubota, Kaoru; Murakami-Sugihara, Naoko; Seike, Koji; Hakozaki, Masataka; Tanabe, Kazushige (February 1, 2018). "Stimpson's hard clam Mercenaria stimpsoni; A multi-decadal climate recorder for the northwest Pacific coast". Marine Environmental Research. 133: 49–56. Bibcode:2018MarER.133...49S. doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2017.10.009. PMID   29229185.
  6. ↑ Ho, Joyce Wing Yan (2015). "Large Natural Quahog Pearl". Gems & Gemology. 51 (1): 63–64. Retrieved 27 August 2024.

Further reading


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