Ark clam is the common name for a family of small to large-sized saltwater clams or marine bivalve molluscs in the family Arcidae. Generally less than 80 mm long, ark clams vary both in shape and size. They number about 200 species worldwide.[1]
The group is known as "ark shells" because species such as Arca have a large flat area between the umbones which, in an undamaged shell, somewhat resembles a deck, with the rest of the shell perhaps illustrating an ancient wooden boat such as Noah's ark is thought to have been.
The thick, ridged shells of ark clams are often white, cream or tan[1], but in some species, the shell is striped with, tinted with, or completely colored, a rich brown. In life the shell of most species has a top shell layer that is thick brown periostracum affixed to the harder calcareous part of the shell. In some species such as Barbatia, this outer horny covering is tufted at the end of the shell into something that resembles a beard, hence the name Barbatia or bearded one. The thick outer skin or periostracum of an ark clam can act as camouflage, such that the shells can sometimes look like stones when lying on the bottom.
All ark shells have a long straight hinge line with a single row of numerous small and unspecialized "teeth". This is known as a "taxodont dentition" and represents an ancient ancestor. This kind of hinge line is also found in the bivalve families Glycymerididae, Nuculidae and Nuculanidae.
Ark clams are distinct from other clams in having red blood pigments (hemoglobin) that facilitate the transport of oxygen to their tissues and enable them to inhabit more hypoxic environments.[1]
Ark clams reach reproductive maturity when they are about twelve months old and about 20 mm long. The spawning cycle typically begins in the rainy season. Ark Clams are broadcast spawners, that is, eggs and sperm are released into open water where fertilization occurs. The fertilized eggs develop rapidly into planktonic larvae that drift with ocean currents for eight to ten days during which 99.9% of the larvae are consumed or perish. Eventually the survivors settle to suitable sites of the sea floor where they develop into juvenile clams. Only one percent of these juveniles will survive to become a mature adult. Ark Clams have a maximum life span of about six years.[1]
^ abcdThe Pacific Community (SPC) (2021). "Information Sheet for Fishing Communities #22: Ark Clams" (PDF). Retrieved June 2, 2024.
Arkclam is the common name for a family of small to large-sized saltwater clams or marine bivalve molluscs in the family Arcidae. Generally less than...
usage, clams are commonly eaten marine bivalves, as in clam digging and the resulting soup, clam chowder. Many edible clams such as palourde clams are ovoid...
granosa (also known as Anadara granosa) is a species of arkclam known as the blood cockle or blood clam due to the red haemoglobin liquid inside the soft tissues...
Arca zebra, or the turkey wing arkclam (or simply turkey wing), is a bivalve mollusc in the family Arcidae, the arkclams. This species is found along...
Lunarca ovalis, also known as the blood arkclam, is a species of clam in the family Arcidae. It can be found along North America coast of the Atlantic...
(/ˈɡuːiˌdʌk/ GOO-ee-duk; Panopea generosa) is a species of very large saltwater clam in the family Hiatellidae. The common name is derived from the Lushootseed...
Anadara broughtonii is a species of Arkclam. The species was described by Shrenck in 1867. Originally belonging to the genus Scapharca, the genus has...
Noetia ponderosa, or the ponderous arkclam, is a marine clam in the family Noetiidae. The shape of the shell is rounded trigonal, almost as high as long...
Anadara chemnitzii, common name Chemnitz's arkclam, is a saltwater clam in the family Arcidae, the ark shells. This species is found in the Caribbean...
The false ark shells (Cucullaea) are a small genus of marine bivalve molluscs related to the arkclams. The genus is the only member of the family Cucullaeidae...
Anadara kagoshimensis is an arkclam in the family Arcidae. It can be found in shallow water in temperate parts of the west Pacific Ocean and is cultivated...
species known as "cockles" "oysters", "mussels", etc., are closely related. Arkclams (Arcidae), including: Blood cockle Senilia senilis Many species of true...
from the genus of Blastopirellula which has been isolated from a dead arkclam (Scapharca broughtonii) from Korea. Parte, A.C. "Blastopirellula". LPSN...
Anadara secticostata, also known as the cut-ribbed arkclam, is a white colored saltwater clam in the family Arcidae. It can be found along North American...
Anadara transversa, or the Transverse arkclam, is a clam in the family Arcidae. It can be found along the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from...
Anadara brasiliana (common name: Incongruous ArkClam) is a saltwater clam in the family Arcidae, the ark shells. This species is found along the Atlantic...
Tridacna gigas, the giant clam, is the most well-known species of the giant clam genus Tridacna. Giant clams are the largest living bivalve mollusks. Several...
Barbatia amygdalumtostum, the almond ark or burnt-almond ark, is a species of bearded arkclams in the Barbatia genus discovered by Röding in 1798. Barbatia...
Tegillarca is a genus of molluscs of the family Arcidae, the Arkclams. Species of this genus include: Tegillarca addita (Iredale, 1939) Tegillarca aequilatera...
Anadara notabilis, or the Eared arkclam, is a clam in the family Arcidae. It can be found in Caribbean waters, ranging from Florida to Bermuda and Brazil...
Arca imbricata, or the Mossy arkclam, is a clam in the family Arcidae. It can be found along the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from North...
Noetiidae is a family of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the order Arcida. They are related to the arkclams and used to be classified as among...
related to Tridacna maxima. Maxima clam media from ARKive Stephen D. A. Smith, Growth and population dynamics of the giant clam Tridacna maxima (Röding) at its...
southern giant clam or smooth giant clam, is a species of extremely large marine clam in the family Cardiidae. The southern giant clam is one of the largest...
Barbatia tenera, or Doc Bales' arkclam, is a clam in the family Arcidae. It can be found along the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from southern...
of Tropicimonas which has been isolated from marine sediments from an arkclam farm from the coast of Korea. "Tropicimonas". LPSN. "Tropicimonas sediminicola"...
see (Latin and Maronite), present-day Arqa Arca (bivalve), a genus of arkclams Search for "arca" on Wikipedia. Arcas (disambiguation) Arka (disambiguation)...
Bentharca is a genus of arkclams. Fossil species placed in the genus have been identified from the lower Miocene (23.03 mya). It contains 2 extant species...