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:
* * * *
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