Venerupis Explained

Venerupis is a genus of marine bivalve molluscs in the family Veneridae commonly known as carpet shells. The valves are robust and rhomboidal with the umbones turned-in and nearer the anterior end. The posterior end is wedge-shaped and the internal margins of the valves are smooth. There are 3 or 4 cardinal teeth on each valve. The foot is large and the siphons are of medium length and united except at the very tip.^[1]

Species

The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) accepted the following species as valid in 2011:

• Venerupis anomala (Lamarck, 1818)
• Venerupis aspera (Quoy & Gaimard, 1835)
• Venerupis corrugata (Gmelin, 1791)
• Venerupis cumingii (G.B. Sowerby II, 1852)
• Venerupis galactites (Lamarck, 1818)
• Venerupis geographica (Gmelin, 1791)
• Venerupis glandina (Lamarck, 1818)
• Venerupis largillierti (Philippi, 1847)
• Venerupis rugosa (G.B. Sowerby II, 1854)
• Venerupis philippinarum (A. Adams & Reeve, 1850)

Synonyms:

• Venerupis aurea (Gmelin, 1791): synonym of Polititapes aureus (Gmelin, 1791)
• Venerupis bruguieri (Hanley, 1845): synonym of Ruditapes bruguieri (Hanley, 1845)
• Venerupis cordieri (Deshayes, 1839): synonym of Irusella lamellifera (Conrad, 1837)
• Venerupis decussata (Linnaeus, 1758): synonym of Lajonkairia lajonkairii (Payraudeau, 1826)
• Venerupis declivis Sowerby, 1853: synonym of Venus declivis G. B. Sowerby II, 1853
• Venerupis dura (Gmelin, 1791): synonym of Polititapes durus (Gmelin, 1791)
• Venerupis lucens (Locard, 1886): synonym of Polititapes aureus (Gmelin, 1791)
• Venerupis saxatilis (Fleuriau de Bellevue, 1802): synonym of Venerupis corrugata (Gmelin, 1791)
• Venerupis senegalensis (Gmelin, 1791): synonym of Venerupis corrugata (Gmelin, 1791)

Notes and References

1. Book: Barrett, John . Collins Pocket Guide to the Sea Shore . C. M. Yonge . 1958 . Collins . London . 158 .