Dosinia exoleta

Dosinia exoleta
	A shell of Dosinia exoleta from Campania, Italy, on display at the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Bivalvia
Order:	Venerida
Superfamily:	Veneroidea
Family:	Veneridae
Genus:	Dosinia
Species:	D. exoleta
Binomial name
	Dosinia exoleta; (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
	Arctoe fulva Risso, 1826; Artemis radiata Reeve, 1850; Arthemis complanata Locard, 1892; Arthemis pudica Poli, 1795; Exoleta radula T. Brown, 1827; Pectunculus capillaceus da Costa, 1778; Venus exoleta Linnaeus, 1758;

Dosinia exoleta, common name the rayed artemis, is a saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Veneridae, the venus clams.

Description

The shell of an adult Dosinia exoleta can be as large as 60 millimetres (2.4 in). These shells can be white, yellowish or pale brown, with darker blotches. They are circular in shape, with a concentric sculpture of fine ribs. They have a very good flavour.^{[citation needed]}

Dosinia exoleta var. interrupta, right valve
Dosinia exoleta var. interrupta, left valve

Dosinia exoleta var. ponderosa, right valve
Dosinia exoleta var. ponderosa, left valve

Distribution and habitat

This species is present in the Boreal-Atlantic zone and Mediterranean Sea. It lives on the lower shore and muddy flats to depths of about 100 metres (330 ft).

References

Repetto G., Orlando F. & Arduino G. (2005): Conchiglie del Mediterraneo, Amici del Museo "Federico Eusebio", Alba, Italy

External links

This Veneridae-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.