Venus and Quahog Shells: Family Veneridae

Venus and Quahog Shells: Family Veneridae

The large Veneridae family of shells includes the various "Venus" shells, Dosinia shells and Quahog shells (large, chalky clams). I have Imperial Venus shells, Lady-in-Waiting Venus (ridged Clam), Cross-Hatched Venus, Lightning Pitar as well as many large Chalky clam shells (Quahogs).

The lady-in-waiting Venus (commonly called "Ridged Clam") shells are fairly common on S. Hutchinson Island beaches. Other shells from the Veneridae Family are also easily found including Southern Quahops (large chalky clams) and Lightning Pitars.

Below are the white shells with brown V-patterns. I have around 60 patterned shells


Lady-in-waiting Venus (Ridged Clam) shells found on S. Hutchinson Island 2020

Below is a Lady-in-Waiting shell with an interlocking pattern:


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Veneridae From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Scientific classification e
Kingdom:     Animalia
Phylum:     Mollusca
Class:     Bivalvia
Subclass:     Heterodonta
Order:     Venerida
Superfamily:     Veneroidea
Family:     Veneridae
Rafinesque, 1815
Genera


Left valve dentition of the shell of the venerid Mercenaria mercenaria

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.

Many of the most important edible species are commonly known (in the USA) simply as "clams". Venerids make up a significant proportion of the world fishery of edible bivalves. The family includes some species that are important commercially, such as (in the USA) the hard clam or quahog, Mercenaria mercenaria.

Classification
The classification within the family Veneridae has been controversial at least since the 1930s. The most used classification is that of Keen (1969) which recognises 12 subfamilies, listed below. Some common species have been moved between genera (including genera in different subfamilies) because of repeated attempts to bring a more valid organization to the classification or taxonomy of the family, therefore changes in the generic name of species are frequently encountered.

The characters used for classifying this group still tend to be superficial, focusing on external features, especially those of the shell. Venerid clams are characterized as bivalves with an external posterior ligament, usually a well demarcated anterior area known as the lunule, and three interlocking structures (called cardinal teeth) in the top of each valve; several of the subfamilies also have anterior lateral teeth, anterior to the cardinal teeth: one in the left valve, and two (sometimes obscure) in the right valve. The inner lower peripheries of the valves can be finely toothed or smooth.

Description
Venerid bivalve; Wadi Umm Ghudran Formation (Late Cretaceous, early Campanian), near Amman, Jordan
Dentition of venerid bivalve; Wadi Umm Ghudran Formation (Late Cretaceous, early Campanian), near Amman, Jordan

Shell sculpture tends to be primarily concentric, but radial and divaricating ornamentation (see Gafrarium), and rarely spines (Pitar lupanaria for example) occur on some. One small subfamily, the Samarangiinae, is created for a unique and rare clam found in coral reefs with an outer covering of cemented sand or mud that texturally camouflages it while enhancing the thickness of the shell. Several venerid clams have overall shell shapes adapted to their environments. Tivela species, for example, have the triangular outline of the surf clams in other bivalve families, and occur often in surf zones. Some Dosinia species are almost disc-like in shape and reminiscent of lucinid bivalves; both types of circular bivalves tend to burrow relatively deeply into the sediment. Further reclassification is to be expected as the results of current research in molecular systematics on the group appear in the literature.

Venerids have rounded or oval solid shells with the umbones (projections) inturned towards the anterior end. Three or four cardinal teeth are on each valve. The siphons are short and united, except at the tip, and are not very long. The foot is large.[1]
Subfamilies according to Keen (1969)

    Chioninae
    Circinae
    Clementinae
    Cyclininae
    Dosiniinae
    Gemminae
    Meretricinae
    Pitarinae
    Samarangiinae
    Sunettinae
    Tapetinae
    Venerinae

List of genera in the family Veneridae
Marcia marmorata
Sunetta meroe

    Agriopoma Dall, 1902
    Amiantis Carpenter, 1884
    Anomalocardia Schumacher, 1817
    Anomalodiscus Dall, 1902
    Antigona Schumacher, 1817
    Aphrodora Jukes-Browne, 1914
    Asaphinoides F. Hodson, 1931
    †Atamarcia Marwick, 1927
    Austrovenus Finlay,1927
    Bassina Jukes-Browne, 1914
    Callista Poli, 1791
    Callithaca Dall, 1902
    Callocardia A. Adams, 1864
    Callpita M. Huber, 2010
    Chamelea Mörch, 1853
    Chione Megerle von Mühlfeld, 1811
    †Chionella Cossmann, 1886
    Chioneryx Iredale, 1924
    Chionista Keen, 1958
    Chionopsis Olsson, 1932
    Choristodon Jonas, 1844
    Circe Schumacher, 1817
    Circenita Jousseaume, 1888
    Circomphalus Klein, 1853
    Clausinella J. E. Gray, 1851
    Clementia Gray, 1842
    Compsomyax Stewart, 1930
    Comus Cox, 1930
    Cooperella Carpenter, 1864
    Costacallista Palmer, 1927
    Costellipitar Habe, 1951
    Cryptonema (bivalve) Jukes-Browne, 1914
    Cyclina Deshayes, 1850
    Cyclinella Dall, 1902
    Dorisca Dall, Bartsch & Rehder, 1938
    Dosina Gray, 1835
    Dosinia Scopoli, 1777
    Egesta Conrad, 1845
    Eumarcia Iredale, 1924
    Eurhomalea Cossmann, 1920
    Ezocallista Kira, 1959
    †Flaventia Jukes-Browne, 1908
    †Frigichione Fletcher, 1938
    Gafrarium Röding, 1798
    Gemma Deshayes, 1853
    Globivenus Coen, 1934
    Gomphina Mörch, 1853
    Gomphinella Marwick, 1927
    Gouldia C. B. Adams, 1847
    Gouldiopa Iredale, 1924
    Granicorium Hedley, 1906
    †Grateloupia [anonymous], 1830
    †Hinemoana Marwick, 1927
    Humilaria Grant and Gale, 1931
    Hyphantosoma Dall, 1902
    Hysteroconcha Dall, 1902
    Iliochione Olsson, 1961
    Irus Schmidt, 1818
    Irusella Hertlein and Grant, 1972
    Jukesena Iredale, 1915
    Katelysia Römer, 1857
    †Katherinella Tegland, 1929
    Kyrina Jousseaume, 1894
    Laevicirce Habe, 1951
    Lajonkairia Deshayes, 1854
    Lamelliconcha Dall, 1902
    Lepidocardia Dall, 1902
    Leukoma Römer, 1857
    Lioconcha Morch, 1853
    Liocyma Dall, 1870
    Lirophora Conrad, 1883
    Macridiscus Dall, 1902
    Macrocallista Meek, 1876
    Marcia H. Adams & A. Adams, 1857
    †Marwickia Finlay, 1930
    Megapitaria Grant & Gale, 1931
    Mercenaria Schumacher, 1817
    Meretrix Linnaeus, 1758
    †Meroena Jukes-Browne, 1908
    Microcirce Habe, 1951
    Mysia Lamarck, 1818
    Notocallista Iredale, 1924
    Nutricola Bernard, 1982
    †Paleomarcia Fletcher, 1938
    Panchione Olsson, 1964
    Paphia Born, 1778
    Paphonotia Hertlein & Strong, 1948
    Parastarte Conrad, 1862
    Paratapes Stoliczka, 1870
    Parvicirce Cosel, 1995
    Pelecyora Dall, 1902
    Periglypta Jukes-Browne, 1914
    Petricola Lamarck, 1801
    Petricolaria Stoliczka, 1870
    Pitar Römer, 1857
    Pitarenus Rehder & Abbott, 1951
    Placamen Iredale, 1925
    Polititapes Chiamenti, 1900
    Privigna Dall, Bartsch & Rehder, 1938
    Protapes Dall, 1902
    Protocallithaca Nomura, 1937
    Proxichione Iredale, 1929
    Psephidia Dall, 1902
    Redicirce Iredale, 1924
    †Rohea Marwick, 1938
    Ruditapes Chiamenti, 1900
    Samarangia Dall, 1902
    Saxidomus Conrad, 1837
    Sunetta Link, 1807
    Sunettina Pfeiffer, 1869
    Tapes Muhlfeld, 1811
    Tawera Marwick, 1927
    Timoclea Brown, 1827
    Tivela Link, 1807
    Transennella Dall, 1883
    Transenpitar Fischer-Piette & Testud, 1967
    †Turia Marwick, 1927
    Turtonia Alder, 1848
    Veneriglossa Dall, 1886 [temporary name]
    Venerupis Lamarck, 1818
    Venus Linnaeus, 1758

References

    Barrett, J. H. and C. M. Yonge, 1958. Collins Pocket Guide to the Sea Shore. P. 158. Collins, London

    Keen, A. M. (1969). Superfamily Veneracea. pp. 670–690, in: Leslie Reginald Cox et al., Part N [Bivalvia], Mollusca 6, vols. 1 and 2: xxxvii + 952 pp. Part of Raymond C. Moore, ed., Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Lawrence, Kansas (Geological Society of America & University of Kansas).
    Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
 


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