Lunarca ovalis

Lunarca ovalis, also known as the blood ark clam, is a species of clam in the family Arcidae. It can be found along North America coast of the Atlantic Ocean, ranging from Massachusetts to the West Indies and Brazil.[1] It resides from the low-tide line to a depth of ten feet.

Lunarca ovalis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Bivalvia
Order: Arcida
Family: Arcidae
Genus: Lunarca
Species:
L. ovalis
Binomial name
Lunarca ovalis
(Bruguiere, 1789)
Synonyms
List
  • Anadara ovalis (Bruguière, 1789)
  • Arca americana W. Wood, 1828
  • Arca campechiensis Gmelin, 1791
  • Arca canalicostata E. Lamy, 1907
  • Arca cayenensis Lamarck, 1819
  • Arca declivis Dillwyn, 1817
  • Arca holmesii Kurtz, 1860
  • Arca ovalis Bruguière, 1789
  • Arca pariaensis Maury, 1912
  • Arca pectinoides P. P. King, 1832
  • Arca pexata Say, 1821
  • Arca semidentata Deshayes, 1850
  • Lunarca costata Gray, 1857

The blood ark clam is often noted for its appearance, for it can be two-thirds covered by dark brown, fur-like periostracum. It also noted for its red blood, which is a result of it containing hemoglobin; this makes it different from the majority of mollusks and earned it its name. The size is typically between one and three inches in length.

References
  1. Abbott, R.T. & Morris, P.A. A Field Guide to Shells: Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and the West Indies. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1995. 11.

Sources
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