Ensis
| Ensis | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Order: | Veneroida |
| Family: | Pharidae |
| Genus: | Ensis Schumacher, 1817 [1] |
| Species | |
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Ensis is a genus of medium-sized edible saltwater clams, littoral bivalve mollusks in the family Pharidae.
In the United States, other common names for species in this genus are razor clams or jackknife clams.[citation needed] This is because the long, narrow, and parallel-sided shape of their shells is unusual in bivalves. The shape of these clams resembles a closed, old-fashioned straight razor (a cut-throat razor), or a closed jackknife (pocket knife). The shells are fragile and can easily be damaged when digging for these clams.
Ensis species live in clean sand on exposed beaches. They are capable of digging very rapidly; see the description under the Atlantic jackknife clam. The easiest way to catch jackknives is to pour salt on the characteristic keyhole-shaped breathing holes. The clam will try to escape the salt by coming up out of its hole, at which point you can gently grab the shell and pull it out of the ground.
[edit] Species
Thirteen species are currently recognised:[1]
- Ensis arcuatus (Jeffreys, 1865) – razor shell
- Ensis californicus Dall, 1899
- Ensis directus (Conrad, 1843) – Atlantic jackknife clam
- Ensis ensis (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Ensis goreensis (Clessin, 1888)
- Ensis macha (Molina, 1782)
- Ensis magnus Schumacher, 1817
- Ensis megistus Pilsbry & McGinty, 1943
- Ensis minor (Chenu, 1843) – jackknife clam
- Ensis myrae Berry, 1954
- Ensis nitidus (Clessin, 1888)
- Ensis siliqua (Linnaeus, 1758) – pod razor
- Ensis tropicalis Hertlein & Strong, 1955
[edit] References
- ^ a b S. Gofas (2010). "Ensis Schumacher, 1817". In P. Bouchet, S. Gofas & G. Rosenberg. World Marine Mollusca database. World Register of Marine Species. http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=138333. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
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