CLASSIFICATION OF MYA (MUD CLAM)
KINGDOM :- ANIMALIA (Multicellular eukaryotic organisms)
PHYLUM :- MOLLUSCA (Unsegmented bilaterally symmetrical and provided with visceral mass, foot and mantle.)
CLASS :- PELECYPODA OR BIVALVIA (Bivalve shell.)
ORDER :- MYIDA (Gill filaments united by inter-filament and inter-lamellar junctions.)
FAMILY :- MYIDAE
GENUS :- Mya (Mud clam)
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
It is found in Arctic ocean to Cape Hatteras, San Francisco and Europe.
HABIT AND HABITAT
Mya is a marine and burrowing eulamellibranchiate, found between lines and in shallow water in mud flats and under stones.
GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF MYA (MUD CLAM)
- Commonly called as mud-clam.
- Body is covered by equal shell valves with hinge ligament resembling Unio.
- Periostracum wrinkled.
- Umbo is found on each shell as raised whitish area, while rest of the shell contains lines of growth. Hinge is weak and valves may be separated.
- Foot is reduced and is without byssus threads in adults.
- Exhalent and inhalent siphons are partly retractile and covered with periostracum.
- Eyes, tentacles and radula are absent. The adductor muscles are isomyrian.
- Ligament internal, attached in left valve to prominent shell-like process. Pallial sinus is large.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
Commonly used as food.
IDENTIFICATION
The animal contains Umbo at a raised area and all above characters hence it is Mya.
