''Sphaerium'' 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 very small freshwater clams,

aquatic Aquatic means relating to water; living in or near water or taking place in water; does not include groundwater, as "aquatic" implies an environment where plants and animals live. Aquatic(s) may also refer to: * Aquatic animal, either vertebrate ...

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 Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Sphaeriidae Sphaeriidae is a family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, ...

, known as the fingernail clams. The small clams in this genus are unusual in that many of them, such as ''

Sphaerium corneum ''Sphaerium corneum'', also known as the European fingernailclam, is a very small freshwater clam, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Sphaeriidae, the fingernail clams. Description The shell is fairly globular and can grow up to 9–13.5& ...

'', can climb around underwater on aquatic plants, using their long and strong foot.

Selected species

The following species are included in the genus ''Sphaerium'': *''

Sphaerium asiaticum ''Sphaerium asiaticum'' is a species of bivalve belonging to the family Sphaeriidae. Per IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustai ...

'' *†''

Sphaerium beckmani ''Sphaerium beckmani'' is an extinct species of fossil freshwater pea clams from the Late Cretaceous deposits of North America. This species was first described by the American paleontologist Loris Shano Russell in 1976. The specimens were col ...

'' *''

Sphaerium bequaerti ''Sphaerium bequaerti'' is a species of bivalve in the Sphaeriidae family. It is found in Burundi, the Central African Republic, Malawi and Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the ...

'' *''

'' – European fingernail clam *''

Sphaerium lacustre ''Sphaerium lacustre'', also known as lake fingernail clam, is species of small freshwater clam, an aquatic animal, aquatic bivalve mollusc in the family Sphaeriidae, the fingernail clams and pea clams. Description The 8–11 mm. shell is o ...

'' *''

Sphaerium nitidum ''Sphaerium nitidum'' is a species of mollusc belonging to the family Sphaeriidae. Its native range is Subarctic The subarctic zone is a region in the Northern Hemisphere immediately south of the true Arctic, north of hemiboreal regions ...

'' – Arctic fingernail clam *''

Sphaerium novaezelandiae ''Sphaerium'' is a genus of very small freshwater clams, aquatic bivalve molluscs in the family Sphaeriidae, known as the fingernail clams. The small clams in this genus are unusual in that many of them, such as ''Sphaerium corneum'', can climb ...

'' *''

Sphaerium nucleus ''Sphaerium nucleus'' is a freshwater bivalve of the family Sphaeriidae. It has been often confused with ''Sphaerium corneum'' and is consequently quite poorly known. Description ''Sphaerium nucleus'' is a very small bivalve which may grow up to ...

'' *''

Sphaerium ovale ''Sphaerium ovale'' is a freshwater bivalve of the family Sphaeriidae. Description Biology Distribution and conservation status * Not mentioned in IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Thre ...

'' *''

Sphaerium rhomboideum ''Sphaerium rhomboideum'', the rhomboid fingernailclam, is a species of freshwater clams in the family Sphaeriidae Sphaeriidae is a family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized ...

'' *''

Sphaerium rivicola ''Sphaerium rivicola'', the river orb mussel, is a species of freshwater bivalve from family Sphaeriidae. Distribution Its native distribution is European. * Czech Republic – in Bohemia, in Moravia, Horsák M., Juřičková L., Beran L., Čej ...

'' *''

Sphaerium solidum ''Sphaerium solidum'', the solid orb mussel, is a species of freshwater bivalve from family Sphaeriidae. Distribution and conservation status * Listed in IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of ...

'' *''

Sphaerium stuhlmanni ''Sphaerium stuhlmanni'' is a species of freshwater bivalve in the family Sphaeriidae. It is endemic to Lake Victoria in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is b ...

'' *''

Sphaerium transversum ''Sphaerium transversum'' is a species of freshwater bivalve from the family Sphaeriidae. Distribution and conservation status * Not listed in IUCN red list The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened S ...

References

External links

''Sphaerium'' Scopoli, 1777 on Biolib

Pelecypoda (Clams) on Aquatic Invertebrates of Alberta
* Taxa named by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli Bivalve genera {{Sphaeriidae-stub