''Glycymeris americana'', or the American bittersweet, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of bivalve mollusc in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Glycymerididae. It can be found along the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

and

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

Description

In warmer waters, the valves of ''Glycymeris americana'' may reach 5 in (12 cm) in diameter, but in cool waters it is much smaller. It is a sturdy shell, nearly circular in outline and rather flattened and has mottled brown markings on a white background. It has low, rounded ribs and the annual growth rings can be seen. The margin is slightly serrated and there is no pallial sinus. It lives buried in sand or gravel.American Bittersweet: Big and Solid
Retrieved 2011-11-29.

References

americana Americana may refer to: *Americana (music), a genre or style of American music *Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States Film, radio and television * ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...

Bivalves described in 1829 {{bivalve-stub