Imperial Venus
| Imperial Venus | |
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| Family: | Veneridae
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Genus: Chione | |
The Imperial Venus clam Chione latilirata, grows to about 1 ½ inches. This species lives offshore, south of Cape Hatteras, in sixty to one hundred and twenty foot depths. Occasionally it is found washed on ocean shores. It ranges from North Carolina to Brazil. This species has been frequently found among catches of the Atlantic calico scallop.
Its shell is rounded, triangular and well-inflated with large, heavy concentric ridges and often sharply shelved at the top. Its ridges become fragile on dry specimens. Cardinal and lateral teeth are located on its hinge. Its coloration varies, but often has a tan exterior with lavender blotches and radial stripes.
Imperial venus are of the family Veneridae which contains over four hundred known species. Species vary in shape from circular to triangular. Veneridae colonize the sandy ocean bottom, and their populations are often dense and large.
The Veneroida order typically have a folded gill structure which is well developed for filtering out small food particles.
See also
References
- Veneridae, Venus Clams
- Veneridae, Venus clam
- Imperial Venus Clam and NC Sea Grant