Donax cuneatus explained

Donax cuneatus, the cradle donax or cuneate wedge shell, is a species of small saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc species in the family Donacidae.

Distribution

This species is reported from the Seychelles, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Australia, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Vanuatu.^[1]

Description

Inhabits the intertidal zone.^[2] The shells are shiny grayish white, with brownish or purple bands radiating from the umbos. As is typical in the wedge clams, Donax cuneatus is triangular and compressed, with the anterior end more rounded than the posterior end.^{[3] [4]} The shell is medium-sized, 12mm at reproductive maturity up to a maximum size of 23mm.^[5] The exterior of the shell is shiny and sculptured with fine concentric ridges and threadlike radial ridges, except on the posterior end which is more rugose. Lunules are found on both valves.   In the interior of the shell, the exceptionally large pallial sinus is indicative of the long siphons of bivalves that dig themselves deep into sand or mud substrates.^[6] In some areas Donax cuneatus is harvested by indigenous people as a minor subsistence food.^[7]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Atlas of Living Australia . Species: Donax (Latona) cuneatus (Cuneate Wedge Shell) . 2024-06-02 . bie.ala.org.au . en-AU.
2. Book: McLachlan, Anton . Oceanography and marine biology . Dugan . J.E. . Defeo . O. . Ansell . Hubbard . D.M. . Jaramillo . E. . Penchaszedah . P.E. . 1963 . Aberdeen : Aberdeen University Press . Internet Archive . 168 . Beach Clam Fisheries.
3. Book: Rao, N. V. Subba . Contributions to the Knowledge of Indian Marine Molluscs—Family-Donacidae (2) . Dey . A. . 1986 . Zoological Survey of India . 11–14.
4. Book: Dance, S. Peter . Shells . 1992 . New York : Dorling Kindersley ; Boston, Mass. : Distributed by Houghton Mifflin Co. . Internet Archive . 978-1-56458-032-0 . 237.
5. Varkey . M. J. . Murty . V. S. N. . Suryanarayana . A. . 1996 . Physical oceanography of the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea . Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review . en . 34 . 165.
6. Web site: Leal . José H. . 2020-01-10 . Telltale Shell Parts: The Pallial Sinus . 2024-06-02 . shellmuseum . en.
7. Book: Secretariat of the Pacific Community . VANUATU COUNTRY REPORT: PROFILES AND RESULTS FROM SURVEY WORK AT PAUNANGISU VILLAGE, MOSO ISLAND, URI AND URIPIV ISLANDS AND THE MASKELYNE ARCHIPELAGO . Pacific Regional Oceanic and Coastal Fisheries Development Programme . 2003 . 978-982-00-0265-4 . 75.