Malacology
Malacology is the study of mollusks. This includes animals like octopus, snails, slugs, and clams. It is the second largest phylum of animals, making them one of the most successful groups on the planet. There are over 80,000 described species of mollusks with many more left to be discovered. Mullusca is composed of 8 recognized classes including Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, Polyplacophora, Scaphapoda, Monoplacophorans, the Aplacophorans, Caudofoveata and Solenogastres, and Bivalvia.
Ocean Quahog
Schumacher, 1817
Arctica islanica
Class:
Bivalvia
Order:
Venerida
Family:
Arcticidae
Misc. Facts
This animal has a very long life span with some Ocean Quahogs reportedly living to over 200 years old!
Citations
MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Arctica Schumacher, 1817. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=137675 on 2021-06-10
Morris, P. A. (1987). A field guide to shells: Atlantic and Gulf coasts and the West Indies (3rd ed.). Houghton Mifflin.