False Angel Wing
Petricolaria pholadiformis (Lamarck, 1818)
Family Veneridae
There are three main types of Angel Wings in my collection, the true Angel Wings (Cyrtopleura costata, slightly larger and thinner) are part of another family, Pholadidae. The False Angel Wing types are also found on the S. Hutvhinson Island beaches. They are easy to identify becasue the elaborate connecting valve is missing.
False Angel Wing- top
False angel Wing- Inside view (see the small connector- much different than authentic Angel Wings)
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A member of the Venus Clam family Veneridae, the False Angel Wing, Petricolaria pholadiformis (Lamarck, 1818), is so named because of its superficial similarity with the famous Angel Wing, and the fact that both burrow in compact mud or peat. However, the two species belong in separate families, with the False Angel Wing sharing its genetic and anatomical features with Venus clams. Among other differences between the “true” and the False Angel Wing are the size, much smaller (to two inches) in the False Angel Wing, and the presence of hinge teeth in this latter species.