Malacology
Malacology is the study of mollusks. This includes animals like octopus, snails, slugs, and clams. It is the second largest phylum of animals, making them one of the most successful groups on the planet. There are over 80,000 described species of mollusks with many more left to be discovered. Mullusca is composed of 8 recognized classes including Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, Polyplacophora, Scaphapoda, Monoplacophorans, the Aplacophorans, Caudofoveata and Solenogastres, and Bivalvia.
North Quahog
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Mercenaria mercenaria
Class:
Bivalvia
Order:
Venerida
Family:
Veneridae
Misc. Facts
The North Quahog is the official state shell of Rhode Island. They are a commercially significant species that is harvested and aquacultured along the US East coast.
Citations
MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Mercenaria mercenaria (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141919 on 2021-06-10
Morris, P. A. (1987). A field guide to shells: Atlantic and Gulf coasts and the West Indies (3rd ed.). Houghton Mifflin.