Saxidomus

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Saxidomus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Bivalvia
Order: Venerida
Family: Veneridae
Genus: Saxidomus
Conrad, 1837
Species

See text.

Saxidomus, common name the "Washington clams", is a genus of large edible saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Veneridae, the Venus clams.

The species Saxidomus gigantea is known as the "butter clam". [1]

The term for saxitoxin (the neurotoxin found in paralytic shellfish poisoning) is derived from the genus name Saxidomus.

Species

Species within the genus Saxidomus include:

ImageScientific nameCommon NameDistribution
Butter clam close up.jpg Saxidomus gigantea Butter clamWestern coast of North America, ranging from the Aleutian Islands to San Francisco Bay
Saxidomus nuttalli - Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History - DSC06675.JPG Saxidomus nuttalli California butterclam and Washington clamNorthern California to Baja California
Saxidomus purpurata (2020-05-09).jpg Saxidomus purpurata Purple butter clamWestern Pacific China and Japan

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References

  1. "Saxidomus giganteus The Butter Clam". Archived from the original on February 16, 2012.