Ungulinidae is a
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
of marine
bivalve
Bivalvia (), in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class of marine and freshwater molluscs that have laterally compressed bodies enclosed by a shell consisting of two hinged parts. As a group, bival ...
mollusc
Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...
s in the order
Venerida
Venerida (formerly Veneroida) is an order of mostly saltwater but also some freshwater bivalve molluscs. This order includes many familiar groups such as many clams that are valued for food and a number of freshwater bivalves.
Since the 2000s, ...
.
Characteristics
The members of this family are found in muddy sand or gravel at or below low tide mark. They have characteristically rounded shells with forward-facing
umbones (projections). The valves are flattened and deeply etched with concentric rings. Each valve bears two cardinal and two plate-like lateral teeth. These molluscs do not have siphons but the extremely long foot makes a channel which is then lined with slime and serves for the intake and expulsion of water.
Genera
The following genera are recognised in the family Ungulinidae:
*†''
Bruetia''
*''
Diplodonta''
*''
Felaniella''
*''
Foveamysia''
*''
Joannisiella''
*''
Lamysia''
*''
Microstagon''
*''
Neodiplodonta''
*''
Phlyctiderma''
*''
Timothynus''
*''
Transkeia''
*''
Ungulina''
*''
Zemysia''
*''
Zemysina''
References
DiscoverLife*
Powell A. W. B., ''New Zealand Mollusca'',
William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3013575
Bivalve families