''Pseudochama'' 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 appropriat ...
of
bivalve
Bivalvia (), in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class (biology), class of marine and freshwater Mollusca, molluscs that have laterally compressed bodies enclosed by a shell consisting of two hing ...
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 est ...
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 ...
Chamidae
Chamidae, common name the jewel boxes or jewel box clams, is a taxonomic family of saltwater clams, a group of marine bivalve mollusks in the order Venerida.Abbott, R.T. & Morris, P.A. ''A Field Guide to Shells: Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and the ...
.
Fossil records
The genus is known from the
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', ...
to the
Recent
The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togethe ...
periods (age range: from 40.4 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils shells have been found all over the world.
Species
Species within this genus include:
[Abbott, R.T. & Morris, P.A. A Field Guide to Shells: Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and the West Indies. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1995. 53.]
*''
Pseudochama cristella''
(Lamarck, 1819)
*''
Pseudochama exogyra''
(Conrad, 1837) – Pacific jewelbox
*''
Pseudochama granti''
Strong, 1934 – deep jewelbox
*''
Pseudochama gryphina''
(Lamarck, 1819)
*''
Pseudochama inezae''
Bayer, 1943 – alabaster jewelbox
*''
Pseudochama radians''
(Lamarck, 1819) – Atlantic jewelbox (accepted as ''Pseudochama cristella'' Lamarck, 1819)
P. cristella at WoRMS
/ref>
Synonyms:
* ''Chama cornuta'' Dillwyn, 1817 and ''Chama gryphina'' Lamarck, 1819 have been accepted as ''Pseudochama gryphina''.
References
Chamidae
Bivalve genera
{{bivalve-stub