''Malleus'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...
of hammer oysters (
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, biv ...
mollusk
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 es ...
s) in the family
Malleidae
Malleidae, or hammer oysters, is a family of saltwater clams. They are related to the pearl oysters, in the order PteriidaGofas, S. (2011). Malleidae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p ...
. This genus includes 27 known species.
Characteristic of this genus is the unusual "hammer-shaped" outline of the valves. The shells are nearly
equivalved, but the hinge line is extremely long and is at nearly a right angle to the rest of the valves, which grow ventrally. The viscera of the organism are arranged in an oval-shaped patch near the
umbones of the valves.
Species
* ''
Malleus albus
The malleus, or hammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear. It connects with the incus, and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations f ...
''
Lamarck, 1819
* ''
Malleus anatinus
The malleus, or hammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear. It connects with the incus, and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations f ...
''
(Gmelin, 1791)
* ''
Malleus candeanus
The malleus, or hammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear. It connects with the incus, and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations f ...
''
(d'Orbigny, 1853)
* ''
Malleus daemoniacus
The malleus, or hammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear. It connects with the incus, and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations f ...
''
Reeve, 1858
* ''
Malleus legumen
The malleus, or hammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear. It connects with the incus, and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations f ...
''
Reeve, 1858
* ''
Malleus malleus
The malleus, or hammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear. It connects with the incus, and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations f ...
''
(Linnaeus, 1758)
* ''
Malleus meridianus
The malleus, or hammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear. It connects with the incus, and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations fro ...
''
Cotton, 1930
* ''
Malleus regula
The malleus, or hammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear. It connects with the incus, and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations f ...
''
(Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775)
Gallery
Naturalis Biodiversity Center - RMNH.MOL.318529 1 - Malleus malleus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Malleidae - Mollusc shell.jpeg, ''Malleus malleus
The malleus, or hammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear. It connects with the incus, and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations f ...
'' (Linnaeus, 1758)
Naturalis Biodiversity Center - RMNH.MOL.318526 2 - Malleus malleus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Malleidae - Mollusc shell.jpeg, ''Malleus malleus
The malleus, or hammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear. It connects with the incus, and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations f ...
'' (Linnaeus, 1758)
Naturalis Biodiversity Center - RMNH.MOL.318521 - Malleus malleus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Malleidae - Mollusc shell.jpeg, ''Malleus malleus
The malleus, or hammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear. It connects with the incus, and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations f ...
'' (Linnaeus, 1758)
Naturalis Biodiversity Center - RMNH.MOL.318540 1 - Malleus malleus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Malleidae - Mollusc shell.jpeg, ''Malleus malleus
The malleus, or hammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear. It connects with the incus, and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations f ...
'' (Linnaeus, 1758)
References
Malleidae
Bivalve genera
Taxa named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
{{bivalve-stub