- Description
- Two families, Solenidae, and Cultellidae comprise this superfamily. Both families include quite similar clam species, ranging from very narrow shells similar to the old-fashioned straight edge razor, to shells having a wider, blunt shape. In both cases, the ventral edge is razor-sharp to the careless collector! Both families have shells with small cardinal hinge teeth. A reinforcing rib is detectable along the length of the very fragile razor shells.
- The species, Solen and Ensis, burrow in soft intertidal sands, and most are much valued as food products. Some species of Solen, living in poorly aerated substrata, possess the oxygen storing molecule, hemoglobin, like certain ark clams, and the red hemoglobin pigment is otherwise only rarely found in bivalves. Generally, bivalves absorb oxygen from the water directly.
- Classification
- Class: Bivalvia
- Subclass: Heterodonta
- Order: Veneroida
- Superfamily: Solenacea
- Families: Solenidae & Cultellidae
- Major Genera
- Family: Solenidae
- Genus: Solen
- Family: Cultellidae
- Genus: Cultellus
- Genus: Ensis
- Genus: Pharella
- Genus: Siliqua
Siliqua patula (Dixon, 1788)
Pacific Razor Clam
Family: Cultellidae
Solen sicarius (Gould, 1850)
Blunt Jackknife Clam
Family: Solenidae
LINK --SEE A LIVE RAZOR CLAM:
from www.jaxshells.org
| Solen viridis Green Jackknife |