Veneridae

Cross-cut carpet shell Venerupis decussatus, copyright Cwmhiraeth.

Belongs within: Neoheterodontoidei.
Contains: Lioconcha, Gafrarium, Meretricinae, Dosinia, Venerinae, Eumarcia, Paphia, Tapes.

The Veneridae is a diverse cosmopolitan group of infaunal bivalves. The earliest recorded venerids are from the Lower Cretaceous. Members of the Veneridae are divided between several subfamilies, of which members of the Venerinae are often the most ornate, with valves bearing both radial and concentric sculpture. The Venerinae also have an anterior lateral tooth present in the junction of the left valve. This tooth is also present in the Dosiniinae which have lenticular, concentrically striate shells. The Tapetinae have the shell surface somewhat polished, and lack lateral teeth (Cox et al. 1969).

Characters (from Cox et al. 1969): Lunule and escutcheon usually well developed. Cardinal teeth three in either valve, with 1 and 2b commonly thicker than 3a and 2a; posterior lateral teeth feeble or wanting, anterior laterals present in some groups, absent in others; pallial sinus varying in size and shape.

Veneridae
    |--+--Gafrarium PC11
    |  `--+--Gemma [Gemminae] PC11
    |     |    `--G. gemma PC11
    |     `--Meretricinae PC11
    `--+--Dosiniinae [Dosiniana] M27
       |    |--Dosinia PC11
       |    |--*Dosinorbis bilunata M27
       |    `--Pitaria M27
       |         |--P. prora (Conrad 1837) H09 [=Cytherea prora H09, Dione prora C64]
       |         `--P. rudis PP64
       |--+--Venerinae PC11
       |  `--+--Leukoma staminea (Conrad 1837) TW07
       |     `--Mercenaria PC11
       |          |--M. campechiensis (Gmelin 1791) DM89
       |          |    |--M. c. campechiensis DM89
       |          |    `--M. c. texana (Dall 1902) [=Venus campechiensis texana, M. mercenaria texana] DM89
       |          |--M. mercenaria (Linnaeus 1758) DM89
       |          `--M. stimpsoni (Gould 1861) [=Venus (Mercenaria) stimpsoni; incl. M. orientalis] C64
       `--+--Ruditapes TW07
          |    |--R. decussatus T-Q84
          |    |--R. largillierti HS01
          |    `--R. philippinarum (Adams & Reeve 1850) TW07
          |--Venerupis PC11
          |    |--V. cordieri [incl. Venus lamellifera] C64
          |    |--V. cylindracea [incl. Petricola subglobosa] C64
          |    |--V. decussatus KC11
          |    |--V. exotica M54
          |    |--V. galactites M54
          |    |--V. irus PP64
          |    |--V. philippinarum KC11
          |    `--V. saxatilis (Fleuriau 1802) TW07
          `--Tapetinae [Tapesina] M27
               |--Eumarcia M27
               |--Paphia PC11
               |--*Hemitapes rimularis [=Venus rimularis] M27
               |--Tapes M27
               |--Notopaphia Oliver 1923 M27
               |    `--*N. elegans (Deshayes 1854) [=Venerupis elegans] M27
               |--Paphirus Finlay 1927 M27
               |    `--*P. largillierti (Philippi 1849) P61 (see below for synonymy)
               |--Cyclorismina Marwick 1927 M27
               |    `--*C. woodsi Marwick 1927 M27
               |--Irona Finlay 1927 M27 [=Notirus Finlay 1928 P61]
               |    |--*I. reflexa (Gray 1843) M27 (see below for synonymy)
               |    `--‘Notirus’ irus BBB-S95
               |--Cyclorisma M27
               |    |--*C. carolinensis M27
               |    `--C. oldhamia [=Cyprimeria oldhami] M27
               |--Gomphina Moerch 1853 M27
               |    |--*G. (Gomphina) veneriformis [=Venus veneriformis; incl. V. donacina] M27
               |    `--G. (Gomphinella Marwick 1927) M27
               |         |--G. (*G.) maorum Smith 1902 M27
               |         `--G. (G.) neastartoides M27
               `--Protothaca Dall 1902 M27
                    |  i. s.: P. chiloensis [=Chione chiloensis] M27
                    |--P. (Protothaca) M27
                    |    |--*P. (P.) thaca [=Chama thaca; incl. Venus dombeyi] M27
                    |    |--P. (P.) grata M27
                    |    `--P. (P.) staminea M27
                    `--P. (Tuangia Marwick 1927) M27
                         `--P. (*T.) crassicosta (Deshayes 1835) P61 (see below for synonymy)

Veneridae incertae sedis:
  Lioconcha LS96
  Dosiniopsis M27
    |--*D. lenticularis M27
    `--D. fallax M27
  Pullastra M27
    |--P. galactites F27
    `--P. rugosa [=Venerupis rugosa] F27
  Globivenus toreuma (Gould 1850) MG-H11
  Granicorium indutum Hedley 1906 MG-H11
  Saxidomus R78
    |--S. aratus Gould 1861 C64
    |--S. brevisiphonatus Carpenter 1864 C64
    |--S. giganteus Deshayes 1839 R78 [=Venerupis gigantea C64]
    |--S. nuttallii [=Venerupis nuttalli; incl. Venus maxima, Lutraria traskei Conrad 1855] C64
    |--S. petitii C64
    |--S. purpurata XZ10
    `--S. squalidus C64
  Ventricolaria isocardia (Verrill 1870) PP78
  Megapitaria aurantiaca (Sowerby 1831) PP78
  Plurigens Finlay 1930 P61
    `--*P. phenax Finlay 1930 P61
  Circe T-Q84
    |--C. gibba F66
    |--C. nummulina C64
    |--C. pythinoides Tennison Woods 1877 P79
    |--C. scripta T-Q84
    `--C. undatina F66
  Eurhomalea C96
  Amiantis Carpenter 1864 JB12, C64
    `--*A. callosa (Conr. 1837) (see below for synonymy) C64
  Anomalocardia JB12
    |--A. squamosa K10
    |--A. subimbricata [incl. Venus amathusia] C64
    |--A. subrugosa C64
    `--A. trapezina F66
  Katelysia opima RK73
  Tivela arguta JB12, C64 [=Cytherea (Tivela) arguta C64]
  Irus TW07
    |--I. irus (Linnaeus 1758) TW07
    |--I. mitis T-Q84
    `--I. reflexus HS01
  Securella Parker 1949 AJH07
  Dione C64
    |--D. circinata [incl. Callista alternata, Venus guineensis, V. rubra] C64
    |--D. pannosa [=Callista pannosa; incl. Cytherea lutea, Ca. rosea var. puella] C64
    `--D. unicolor [incl. Chione badia, Cytherea ligula] C64
  Clementia C64
    |--C. papyracea (Gmelin 1791) [=Venus papyracea] H09
    `--C. subdiaphana Carpenter 1864 C64
  Pachydesma C64
    |--P. crassatelloides [incl. P. stultorum] C64
    `--P. inezana C64
  Psephis C64
    |--P. lordi Baird 1863 C64
    |--P. salmonea Carpenter 1864 C64
    |--P. tantilla [incl. Venus rhysomia] C64
    `--P. tellimyalis Carpenter 1864 C64

*Amiantis callosa (Conr. 1837) [=Callista callosa, Cytherea callosa; incl. Dione nobilis Rve. 1849, Callista nobilis, Cytherea nobilis] C64

*Irona reflexa (Gray 1843) M27 [=Venerupis reflexa M27, *Notirus reflexus P61; incl. V. siliqua Deshayes 1854 M27, Pullastra siliqua M27]

*Kuia vellicata (Hutton 1873) [=Chione vellicata, Ch. (Ventricoloidea) vellicata; incl. Cytherea (Circomphalus) chariessa Suter 1917] M27

*Paphirus largillierti (Philippi 1849) P61 [=Venus largillierti M27; incl. V. intermedia Quoy & Gaimard 1835 (preoc.) M27]

Protothaca (*Tuangia) crassicosta (Deshayes 1835) P61 [=Venus crassicosta M27, Paphia (Protothaca) crassicosta M27]

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[AJH07] Amano, K., R. G. Jenkins & Y. Hikida. 2007. A new gigantic Nucinella (Bivalvia: Solemyoida) from the Cretaceous cold-seep deposit in Hokkaido, northern Japan. Veliger 49 (2): 84–90.

[BBB-S95] Boubezari, K., G. Bitar & D. Bellan-Santini. 1995. Structure et organisation de trois moulières (Mytilus galloprovincialis et Perna perna) de la région d’Alger. Mésogée 54: 63–72.

[C64] Carpenter, P. P. 1864. Supplementary report on the present state of our knowledge with regard to the Mollusca of the west coast of North America. Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science 33: 517–686.

Cox, L. R., N. D. Newell et al. 1969. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology pt N. Bivalvia vol. 2. The Geological Society of America, Inc. and The University of Kansas.

[C96] Crame, J. A. 1996. Evolution of high-latitude molluscan faunas. In: Taylor, J. D. (ed.) Origin and Evolutionary Radiation of the Mollusca pp. 119–131. Oxford University Press: Oxford.

[DM89] Dillon, R. T., Jr & J. J. Manzi. 1989. Genetics and shell morphology of hard clams (genus Mercenaria) from Laguna Madre, Texas. Nautilus 103 (2): 73–77.

[F27] Finlay, H. J. 1927. A further commentary on New Zealand molluscan systematics. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 57: 320–485.

[F66] Fraser, L. 1866. Communication of a list of mollusks collected by R. Swinhoe, Esq., in Formosa. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1866: 146.

[HS01] Hayward, B. W., A. B. Stephenson, M. S. Morley, W. M. Blom, H. R. Grenfell, F. J. Brook, J. L. Riley, F. Thompson & J. J. Hayward. 2001. Marine biota of Parengarenga Harbour, Northland, New Zealand. Records of the Auckland Museum 37: 45–80.

[H09] Hedley, C. 1909. The Marine Fauna of Queensland: Address by the President of Section D. Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science: Brisbane.

[JB12] Johnson, M. E., & B. G. Baarli. 2012. Development of intertidal biotas through Phanerozoic time. In: Talent, J. A. (ed.) Earth and Life: Global biodiversity, extinction intervals and biogeographic perturbations through time pp. 63–128. Springer.

[KC11] Kocot, K. M., J. T. Cannon, C. Todt, M. R. Citarella, A. B. Kohn, A. Meyer, S. R. Santos, C. Schander, L. L. Moroz, B. Lieb & K. M. Halanych. 2011. Phylogenomics reveals deep molluscan relationships. Nature 477: 452–456.

[K10] Kostina, E. E. 2010. Distribution of macrobenthic communities in the intertidal zone of the Vietnamese islands. In: China-Russia Bilateral Symposium: Proceedings of the China-Russia Bilateral Symposium of "Comparison on Marine Biodiversity in the Northwest Pacific Ocean", 10–11 October 2010, Qingdao (China) pp. 109–111. Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; A. V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology, Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

[LS96] Lamprell, K. L., & J. Stanisic. 1996. Callista, Lioconcha and Pitar in New Caledonia and adjacent waters (Mollusca, Veneridae). Molluscan Research 17: 27–48.

[M54] Macpherson, J. H. 1954. Molluscs (sea shells and snails). In: Willis, J. M. (ed.) The Archipelago of the Recherche pp. 55–63. Australian Geographical Society: Melbourne.

[M27] Marwick, J. 1927. The Veneridae of New Zealand. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 57: 567–636.

[MG-H11] McEnnulty, F. R., K. L. Gowlett-Holmes, A. Williams, F. Althaus, J. Fromont, G. C. B. Poore, T. D. O’Hara, L. Marsh, P. Kott, S. Slack-Smith, P. Alderslade & M. V. Kitahara. 2011. The deepwater megabenthic invertebrates on the western continental margin of Australia (100–1100 m depths): composition, distribution and novelty. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 80: 1–191.

[PP64] Peres, J. M., & J. Picard. 1964. Nouveau manuel de bionomie benthique de la mer Mediterranee. Recueil des Travaux de la Station Marine d'Endoume, Bulletin 31 (27): 5–137.

[P79] Petterd, W. F. 1879. List of the freshwater shells of Tasmania. Journal of Conchology 2: 80–88.

[PC11] Plazzi, F., A. Ceregato, M. Taviani & M. Passamonti. 2011. A molecular phylogeny of bivalve mollusks: ancient radiations and divergences as revealed by mitochondrial genes. PLoS One 6 (11): e27147.

[PP78] Poorman, F. L., & L. H. Poorman. 1978. Additional molluscan records from Bahía de Los Angeles, Baja California Norte. Veliger 20 (4): 369–374.

[P61] Powell, A. W. B. 1961. Shells of New Zealand: An illustrated handbook 4^th ed. Whitcombe and Tombs Limited: Christchurch.

[RK73] Ranade, M. R., & C. V. Kulkarni. 1973. Observations on the behaviour of clams in waters of low salinity. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 69 (3): 616–634.

[R78] Reid, R. G. B. 1978. The systematic, adaptive and physiological significance of proteolytic enzyme distribution in bivalves. Veliger 20 (3): 260–265.

[TW07] Taylor, J. D., S. T. Williams, E. A. Glover & P. Dyal. 2007. A molecular phylogeny of heterodont bivalves (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Heterodonta): new analyses of 18S and 28S rRNA genes. Zoologica Scripta 36 (6): 587–606.

[T-Q84] Thiriot-Quiévreux, C. 1984. Les caryotypes de quelques Ostreidae et Mytilidae. Malacologia 25 (2): 465–476.

[XZ10] Xu, F., & J. Zhang. 2010. Study on the bivalve faunal composition of the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea. In: China-Russia Bilateral Symposium: Proceedings of the China-Russia Bilateral Symposium of "Comparison on Marine Biodiversity in the Northwest Pacific Ocean", 10–11 October 2010, Qingdao (China) pp. 7–12. Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; A. V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology, Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Last updated: 24 October 2021.