Lucine Shells of the Lucinidae Family

Five Lucine Shells of the Lucinidae  Family can be found in this website:

Phylogeny: Lucine Shells of the Lucinidae Family are heterodont bivalve mollusks in the order Lucinida. Shells in this order are found in marine environments. There are two superfamilies within this order – Lucinoidea and Thyasiroidea. The Lucinidae Family is the only family within the superfamily Lucinoidea. Family Lucinidae is a very large family consisting of eight subfamilies, ninety-five genera, and three hundred seventy-four species. Shells in this family are also commonly known as Hatchet Shells and Lucinids.

Description: Lucine Shells are equivalve (both valves equal in size and shape) shells that are either round or trapezoidal in outline. They may be compressed or moderately inflated in profile. They have well-formed beaks. These shells may be sculpted with radial, transverse, or commarginal ribs or striae. Some species have a sulcus (radial valley), which is usually located toward the posterior end. They generally have two cardinal teeth at the hinge. Lucine Shells are white in color. In most species the periostracum is inconspicuous. The interior is smooth and the margin is smooth to lightly serrated. Lucine Shells are small to large in size, with the largest species reaching 15 cm (5.8 inches) in length.

Habitat and Distribution: Lucine Shells can be found buried in mud, sand, or small gravel,  especially near seagrass beds or mangroves. They live in the intertidal zone and at depths up to 2,570 m (8,430 feet). Lucine Shells are found worldwide in temperate to tropical seas. At least thirty-three species in the Lucinidae Family are found in Mexican waters.

Natural History: Lucine Shells are suspension feeders that filter plankton and organic matter from the surrounding water. Additionally, because they reside in high sulfide environments, they are capable of producing their own nutrients through a symbiotic relationship with sulfur-oxidizing bacteria that are found on the clam’s gill filaments.  The bacteria fix carbon into organic compounds, which are then transferred to the host as nutrients. During periods of starvation, lucinids may eat their symbionts for nutrition. Lucine shells are edible and larger species are harvested by artisanal fisheries.