Arca (bivalve) explained

Arca is a genus of edible saltwater clams in the family Arcidae, the Ark Clams. ^[1]

Description

As is typical for ark clams, species in this genus have a long, straight hinge line. Some species in this genus, such as Arca zebra and Arca noae, have a brown-and-white striped pattern. Arca attach themselves to rock with byssal threads which protrude through a gap on the ventral (open) side.

Species

Species within the genus Arca include:^[2]

• Arca acuminata Krauss, 1848
• Arca angulata King & Broderip, 1832
• Arca avellana Lamarck, 1819 - hazelnut ark
• Arca boucardi Jousseaume, 1894 - Kobelt's ark ^[3]
• Arca bouvieri Fischer, 1874
• Arca despecta Fischer, 1876
• Arca imbricata Bruguière, 1789 - mossy ark
• Arca kauaia (Dall, Bartsch & Rehder, 1938)
• Arca koumaci Lutaenko & Maestrati, 2007
• Arca maculata Sowerby
• Arca mauia
• Arca mutabilis (Sowerby I, 1833) - changeable ark
• Arca navicularis Bruguière, 1789 - Indo-pacific ark ^[4]
• Arca noae Linnaeus, 1758 - Noah's ark
• Arca ocellata Reeve, 1844
• Arca pacifica (Sowerby I, 1833) - Panamic turkey wing
• Arca patriarchalis Röding, 1798
• Arca reticulata Gmelin, 1791
• Arca tetragona Poli, 1795 - four-sided ark
• Arca truncata Sowerby
• Arca turbatrix Oliver & Cosel, 1993
• Arca ventricosa Lamarck, 1819 - ventricose ark
• Arca volucris Reeve, 1844
• Arca zebra (Swainson, 1833) - Atlantic turkey wing

Notes and References

1. Ruǎn Jīnshān; Li Xiùzhū; Lín Kèbīng; Luō Dōnglián; Zhōu Chén; Cài Qīnghǎi (阮金山;李秀珠;林克冰;罗冬莲;周宸;蔡清海), 安海湾南岸滩涂养殖贝类死亡原因调查分析 (Analysis of the causes of death of farmed shellfish on the mudflats in the southern part of Anhai Bay), 《福建水产》 (Fujian Aquaculture), 2005-04
2. Web site: Serge Gofas . 2011. Arca Linnaeus, 1758 . . April 9, 2011.
3. Web site: JTMD (Japanese Tsunami Marine Debris) Database . 2024. Species Summary: Arca boucardi . . June 2, 2024.
4. Web site: JTMD (Japanese Tsunami Marine Debris) Database . 2024. Species Summary: Arca navicularis . . June 2, 2024.