Mactra
Encyclopedia
Mactra is a genus of medium-sized marine
bivalve mollusks or clams, commonly known as trough shells or duck clams. Mactra is the type genus
within the family
Mactridae
.
The word "trough" in the common name refers to the fact that all Mactra shells have a large ligamental pit at the hinge line, which in life contains a large internal ligament. Most bivalves in other families have an external ligament instead.
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
bivalve mollusks or clams, commonly known as trough shells or duck clams. Mactra is the type genus
Type genus
In biological classification, a type genus is a representative genus, as with regard to a biological family. The term and concept is used much more often and much more formally in zoology than it is in botany, and the definition is dependent on the nomenclatural Code that applies:* In zoological...
within the family
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...
Mactridae
Mactridae
Mactridae, also known as trough shells or duck clams, is a family of marine bivalve clams of the order Veneroida.-Characteristics:...
.
The word "trough" in the common name refers to the fact that all Mactra shells have a large ligamental pit at the hinge line, which in life contains a large internal ligament. Most bivalves in other families have an external ligament instead.
Species
- Mactra acutissima Cosel, 1995
- Mactra angolensis Cosel, 1995
- Mactra discors Gray, 1873
- Mactra glabrata Linnaeus, 1767
- Mactra glauca Born, 1778
- Mactrotoma fragilis Gmelin, 1791
- Mactra inconstans Cosel, 1995
- Mactra micronitida Cosel, 1995
- Mactra murchisoni Deshayes, 1854
- Mactra nitida Spengler, 1786
- Mactra ordinaria (E.A.Smith, 1898)
- Mactra ovataMactra ovataMactra ovata is a trough shell of the family Mactridae.-References:* Miller M & Batt G, Reef and Beach Life of New Zealand, William Collins Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1973...
(Gray, 1843) - Mactra rostrata Spengler, 1802
- Mactra sauliana Gray, 1838
- Mactra silicula Reeve, 1854
- Mactra stultorumMactra stultorumMactra stultorum, previously sometimes known as Mactra corallina is a species of edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Mactridae, the trough shells.-Distribution:...
(Linnaeus, 1758) - Mactra tristis (Reeve,1854)
- Mactra vitrea Gray,1837