''Mesodesma'' 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 saltwater clams,
marine
Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean.
Marine or marines may refer to:
Ocean
* Maritime (disambiguation)
* Marine art
* Marine biology
* Marine debris
* Marine habitats
* Marine life
* Marine pollution
Military
* ...
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
Mesodesmatidae
''Mesodesmatidae'' is a family of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the order Venerida.MolluscaBase eds. (2020). MolluscaBase. Mesodesmatidae Gray, 1840. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.o ...
. It is the type genus of the family.
[Mesodesma Deshayes, 1831, World Register of Marine Species]
accessed 8 August 2013
Species
There are numerous species within the genus ''Mesodesma'', including:
* ''
Mesodesma donacium'' (Lamarck, 1818) colloquially known and eaten as
macha
Macha () was a sovereignty goddess of ancient Ireland associated with the province of Ulster, particularly the sites of Navan Fort (''Eamhain Mhacha'') and Armagh (''Ard Mhacha''), which are named after her.Koch, John T. ''Celtic Culture: A Hi ...
in Chile
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3799784
Bivalve genera