Clam is a common name for several kinds of bivalve molluscs. The word is often applied only to those that are edible and live as infauna, spending most of their lives halfway buried in the sand of the seafloor or riverbeds. Clams have two shells of equal size connected by two adductor muscles and have a powerful burrowing foot. They live in both freshwater and marine environments; in salt water they prefer to burrow down into the mud and the turbidity of the water required varies with species and location; the greatest diversity of these is in North America.
William Stimpson was an American scientist. He was interested particularly in marine biology. Stimpson became an important early contributor to the work of the Smithsonian Institution and later, director of the Chicago Academy of Sciences.
The hard clam, also known as the round clam, hard-shellclam, or the quahog, is an edible marine bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America from Prince Edward Island to the Yucatán Peninsula. It is one of many unrelated edible bivalves that in the United States are frequently referred to simply as clams. Older literature sources may use the systematic name Venus mercenaria; this species is in the family Veneridae, the venus clams.
The Veneridae or venerids, common name: Venus clams, are a very large family of minute to large, saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs. Over 500 living species of venerid bivalves are known, most of which are edible, and many of which are exploited as food sources.
Venus is a genus of small to large saltwater clams in the family Veneridae, which is sometimes known as the Venus clams and their relatives. These are marine bivalve molluscs.
Donax is a genus of small, edible saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs with highly variable color patterns. The genus is sometimes known as bean clams or wedge shells; however, Donax species have different common names in different parts of the world. In the southeastern U.S. they are known as "coquina", a word that is also used for the hard limestone concretions of their shells and those of other marine organisms. They are called "Chip Chip" in Trinidad & Tobago and "Chipi Chipi" in Venezuela, "Stumpfmuschel" in German, and "Zaaje" in Dutch. In South Vanuatu Languages they are called "Kaiwi" or "Tumbar".
Chione cancellata, is a species of medium-sized saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Veneridae, the venus clams.
Dosinia is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Veneridae, subfamily Dosiniinae Deshayes, 1853. The shell of Dosinia species is disc-like in shape, usually white, and therefore is reminiscent of the shells of Lucinid bivalves.
Petricolinae is a subfamily of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs related to the large family Veneridae or Venus clams. Some authors include these genera within the Veneridae as the subfamily Petricolinae.
Macoma is a large genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Tellinidae, the tellins.
Leukoma is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Veneridae, the Venus clams. This genus of bivalves has been exploited by humans since prehistory; for example, the Chumash peoples of California harvested this genus from Morro Bay in approximately 1000 AD.
Spisula is a genus of medium-sized to large marine bivalve mollusks or clams in the subfamily Mactrinae of the family Mactridae, commonly known as surf clams or trough shells.
Isognomon is a genus of marine bivalve mollusks which is related to the pearl oysters.
Capulus is a genus of small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Capulidae, the cap snails.
Pitar is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the subfamily Callocardiinae of the family Veneridae, the Venus clams. The genus contains over 60 species.
Sanguinolaria is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs of the family Psammobiidae.
Lucina is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs.
Chionopsis, is a genus of saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Veneridae, the venus clams.
