Heterodonta
| Heterodonta | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| The venerid species, Austrovenus stutchburyi, the New Zealand cockle, is sold internationally as sea food | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Subclass: | Heterodonta |
| Orders | |
|
†Cycloconchidae |
|
†Cycloconchidae
†Hippuritoida
†Lyrodesmatidae
†Redoniidae
Carditoida
Anomalodesmata
Myoida
Lucinoida
Veneroida
Heterodonta is a taxonomic subclass of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs. This subclass includes the edible clams, the cockles and the Venus clams.
These bivalves are distinguished by having the two halves of the shell equally sized (i.e, they are equivalved), and having a few cardinal teeth separated from a number of long lateral teeth. Their shells lack a nacreous layer, and the gills are lamellibranch in form. Most species have a siphon.
This subclass contains four extinct orders, five orders of living bivalves, and a group of as yet unassigned Euheterodonta:
In 2010, a new proposed classification system for the Bivalvia was published in by Bieler, Carter & Coan, revising the classification of the Bivalvia, including the subclass Heterodonta.
Subclass: Heterodonta
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