Macrocallista maculata
Encyclopedia
Macrocallista maculata, or the calico clam, is a species of bivalve mollusc in the family
Veneridae
. It can be found along the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from North Carolina
to Bermuda
and Brazil
.
The Calico Clam has been protected from harvesting in Bermuda since the 1970's (see Fisheries Protected Species Order 1978).
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Veneridae
Veneridae
The Veneridae or venerids, also known as the Venus clams, are a very large family of minute to large, saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs. There are over 500 living species of venerid bivalves, most of which are edible, and many of which are exploited as a food source.Many of the most...
. It can be found along the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
to Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
The Calico Clam has been protected from harvesting in Bermuda since the 1970's (see Fisheries Protected Species Order 1978).