''Mya'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of saltwater clams, marine

bivalve Bivalvia () or bivalves, in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class (biology), class of aquatic animal, aquatic molluscs (marine and freshwater) that have laterally compressed soft bodies enclosed b ...

mollusc Mollusca is a phylum of protostome, protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant taxon, extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum ...

s in the family

Myidae Myidae, common name the softshell clams, is a Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic family (biology), family of marine (ocean), marine bivalve molluscs in the order (biology), order Myida. Genera Genera within the family Myidae include: * ''Cryptomya'' ...

. They are widespread and abundant in northern waters. Commonly known as Ipswich clams,

soft-shell clam Soft-shell clams (American English) or Sand gaper (British English/Europe), scientific name ''Mya arenaria'', popularly called "steamers", "softshells", "piss clams", "Ipswich clams", or "Essex clams", are a species of edible saltwater clam, a ...

or steamers, they are routinely used as a food source for humans.

Species

Species within the genus ''Mya'' include:Zhang, Junlong (Nov 2018) ''et al.'', A tale of two soft-shell clams: an integrative taxonomic analysis confirms ''Mya japonica'' as a valid species distinct from ''Mya arenaria'' (Bivalvia: Myidae). ''Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society'' 184 (3): 605–622, https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx107 *''

Mya arenaria Soft-shell clams (American English) or Sand gaper (British English/Europe), scientific name ''Mya arenaria'', popularly called "steamers", "softshells", "piss clams", "Ipswich clams", or "Essex clams", are a species of edible saltwater clam, a ...

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the starting point of modern zoologic ...

*''

Mya baxteri Mya or MYA may refer to: Brands and product names * Mya (TV channel), an Italian Television channel * Mya (program), an intelligent personal assistant created by Motorola * Midwest Young Artists, a comprehensive youth music program Codes * B ...

'' Coan & Scott, 1997 *''

Mya eideri Mya or MYA may refer to: Brands and product names * Mya (TV channel), an Italian Television channel * Mya (program), an intelligent personal assistant created by Motorola * Midwest Young Artists, a comprehensive youth music program Codes * B ...

'' Hopner Petersen, 1999 *''

Mya japonica Mya or MYA may refer to: Brands and product names * Mya (TV channel), an Italian Television channel * Mya (program), an intelligent personal assistant created by Motorola * Midwest Young Artists, a comprehensive youth music program Codes * B ...

'' Jay, 1857 *''

Mya neoovata Mya or MYA may refer to: Brands and product names * Mya (TV channel), an Italian Television channel * Mya (program), an intelligent personal assistant created by Motorola * Midwest Young Artists, a comprehensive youth music program Codes * B ...

'' Hopner Petersen, 1999 *''

Mya neouddevallensis Mya or MYA may refer to: Brands and product names * Mya (TV channel), an Italian Television channel * Mya (program), an intelligent personal assistant created by Motorola * Midwest Young Artists, a comprehensive youth music program Codes * B ...

'' Hopner Petersen, 1999 *''

Mya pseudoarenaria Mya or MYA may refer to: Brands and product names * Mya (TV channel), an Italian Television channel * Mya (program), an intelligent personal assistant created by Motorola * Midwest Young Artists, a comprehensive youth music program Codes * B ...

'' Schlesch, 1931 *'' Mya truncata''

References

Myidae Bivalve genera {{Bivalve-stub