Sphaeriidae

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Common Name

Fingernail Clam

Scientific Name

Phylum

Mollusca

Class

Bivalvia

Order

Veneroida

Family

Sphaeriidae

Lab Storage

Feeding

Feed in from one siphon and release waste and indigestibles through the other. Feed on small pieces of organic matter such as plankton and small pieces of leaves.

Water Quality Tolerance

Slightly more tolerant of pollution than other clams. Found in both highly polluted and pristine water. Unlike mussels, they aren't restricted to areas with high concentrations of calcium carbonate.

Fact

2-10mm long, rarely up to 20mm. The growth rings are very close together and hardly raised - the shell feels smooth when you run your fingernail across the lines. For more photos, refer to our online gallery: tinyurl.com/t22echa

Habitat

Can be found on any substrate except bedrock and are the most dominant bivalves in ponds and deep areas of lakes. Can be found in all water velocities.

References

Voshell & Wright. 2002.