''Nucula'' 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 saltwater

clam Clam is a common name for several kinds of bivalve mollusc. The word is often applied only to those that are deemed edible and live as infauna, spending most of their lives halfway buried in the sand of the sea floor or riverbeds. Clams h ...

s. They are part of 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 ...

Nuculidae Nuculidae is a family (biology), family of small seawater, saltwater clams in the order (biology), order Nuculida. Species in this family are commonly known as nut clams. The nomenclature of the Western European species in this family is still u ...

Fossil records

This genus is very ancient. Fossils are known from the

Arenig In geology, the Arenig (or Arenigian) is a time interval during the Ordovician period and also the suite of rocks which were deposited during this interval. History The term was first used by Adam Sedgwick in 1847 with reference to the "Areni ...

to the

Quaternary The Quaternary ( ) is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), as well as the current and most recent of the twelve periods of the ...

(age range: from 478.6 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils are found in the marine strata all over the world.

Description

Shells of species within this genus can reach a size of about . They are equivalve, symmetrical, approximately triangular. The surface has fine concentric growth lines. These clams live in the muddy sand close to the sediment surface at a depth of 20 to 200 meters.

Species

Nowadays there are still many species of this genus, which have had virtually no change in the course of time. Species within the genus ''Nucula'' include:WoRMS
/ref> * ''

Nucula annulata ''Nucula'' is a genus of very small saltwater clams. They are part of the family Nuculidae. Fossil records This genus is very ancient. Fossils are known from the Arenig to the Quaternary (age range: from 478.6 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils ...

'' Hampson, 1971 * '' Nucula atacellana'' Schenck, 1939 - cancellate nutclam * '' Nucula austrobenthalis'' Dell, 1990 * '' Nucula beachportensis'' Verco, 1907 * '' Nucula benguelana'' (A. H. Clarke, 1961) * ''

Nucula brasiliana ''Nucula'' is a genus of very small saltwater clams. They are part of the family Nuculidae. Fossil records This genus is very ancient. Fossils are known from the Arenig to the Quaternary (age range: from 478.6 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils ...

'' Esteves, 1984 * '' Nucula calcicola'' Moore, 1977 - reef nutclam * '' Nucula callicredemna'' Dall, 1890 * '' Nucula cancellata'' Meek & Hayden, 1856 * ''

Nucula cardara ''Nucula'' is a genus of very small saltwater clams. They are part of the family Nuculidae. Fossil records This genus is very ancient. Fossils are known from the Arenig to the Quaternary (age range: from 478.6 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils ...

'' Dall, 1916 * ''

Nucula carlottensis ''Nucula'' is a genus of very small saltwater clams. They are part of the family Nuculidae. Fossil records This genus is very ancient. Fossils are known from the Arenig to the Quaternary (age range: from 478.6 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils ...

'' Dall, 1897 - Charlotte nutclam * ''

Nucula certisinus ''Nucula certisinus'' is a saltwater nut clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Nuculidae Nuculidae is a family (biology), family of small seawater, saltwater clams in the order (biology), order Nuculida. Species in this family are comm ...

Finlay Finlay is a masculine given name, and also a surname. The given name is represented in Scottish Gaelic as Fionnlagh. Given name Finlay *Finlay Calder, Scottish rugby player * Finlay Christie (comedian), British comedian * Finlay Christie, Scottis ...

, 1930 * ''

Nucula chrysocome ''Nucula'' is a genus of very small saltwater clams. They are part of the family Nuculidae. Fossil records This genus is very ancient. Fossils are known from the Arenig to the Quaternary (age range: from 478.6 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils ...

'' * ''

Nucula consentanea ''Nucula'' is a genus of very small saltwater clams. They are part of the family Nuculidae. Fossil records This genus is very ancient. Fossils are known from the Arenig to the Quaternary (age range: from 478.6 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils ...

'' Melvill & Standen, 1907 * ''

Nucula covra ''Nucula'' is a genus of very small saltwater clams. They are part of the family Nuculidae. Fossil records This genus is very ancient. Fossils are known from the Arenig to the Quaternary (age range: from 478.6 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils ...

'' Bergmans, 1978 * ''

Nucula crassicostata ''Nucula'' is a genus of very small saltwater clams. They are part of the family Nuculidae. Fossil records This genus is very ancient. Fossils are known from the Arenig to the Quaternary (age range: from 478.6 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils ...

'' E. A. Smith, 1872 * ''Nucula crassidens'' Nicklès, 1955 * ''Nucula crenulata'' Arthur Adams (zoologist), A. Adams, 1856 - crenulate nutclam * ''Nucula crystallina'' Poppe, Tagaro & Stahlschmidt, 2015 * ''Nucula culebrensis'' E. A. Smith, 1885 * ''Nucula cymella'' Dall, 1886 * ''Nucula darella'' Dall, 1916 * ''Nucula declivis'' Hinds, 1843 * ''Nucula delphinodonta'' Mighels & C. B. Adams, 1842 - dolphintooth nutclam * ''Nucula distincta'' Turton, 1932 * ''Nucula donaciformis'' E. A. Smith, 1895 * ''Nucula dorsocrenata'' (Habe, 1977) * ''Nucula dunedinensis''

, 1928 * ''Nucula exigua'' G. B. Sowerby I, 1833 - iridescent nutclam, short nutclam * ''Nucula exodonta'' Prashad, 1932 * ''Nucula faba'' Xu, 1999 * ''Nucula falklandica'' Preston, 1912 * ''Nucula fernandensis'' Villarroel, 1971 * ''Nucula fernandinae'' Dall, 1927 * ''Nucula gallinacea''

, 1930 * ''Nucula granulosa'' Addison Emery Verrill, Verrill, 1884 * ''Nucula groenlandica'' Posselt, 1898 - Greenland nutclam * ''Nucula hanleyi'' Winckworth, 1931 * ''Nucula hartvigiana'' Dohrn, 1864 * ''Nucula hawaiensis'' Pilsbry, 1921 * ''Nucula inconspicua'' H. Adams, 1871 * ''Nucula insignis'' (Hayami & Kase, 1993) * ''Nucula interflucta'' Marincovich, 1973 * ''Nucula iphigenia'' Dall, 1896 * ''Nucula irregularis'' G. B. Sowerby III, 1904 * ''Nucula izushotoensis'' (Okutani, 1966) * ''Nucula kanaka'' Bergmans, 1991 * ''Nucula kerguelensis'' Thiele, 1912 * ''Nucula libera'' Bergmans, 1991 * ''Nucula malabarica'' Hanley, 1860 * ''Nucula mariae'' Nolf, 2005 * ''Nucula marmorea'' Hinds, 1843 * ''Nucula marshalli'' Schenck, 1939 * ''Nucula mayi'' (Iredale, 1930) * ''Nucula mesembrina'' (Hedley, 1916) * ''Nucula mitralis'' Hinds, 1843 * ''Nucula multidentata'' Prashad, 1933 * ''Nucula nicklesi'' Cosel, 1995 * ''Nucula nitidosa'' Winckworth, 1930 (unaccepted name: ''Nucula turgida'' Leckenby & Marshall, 1875) * ''Nucula nitidula'' A. Adams, 1856 * ''Nucula nitidulaformis'' Arthur William Baden Powell, Powell, 1971 * ''Nucula notobenthalis'' Thiele, 1912 * ''Nucula nucleus'' (Carl Linnaeus, Linnaeus, 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 1758) * ''Nucula oppressa'' Bergmans, 1991 * ''Nucula papillifera'' Thiele & Jaeckel, 1931 * ''Nucula paulula'' A. Adams, 1856 * ''Nucula percrassa'' (Timothy Abbott Conrad, Conrad, 1858 ) * ''Nucula pisum'' G. B. Sowerby I, 1833 * ''Nucula planiculmen'' Kilburn, 1999 * ''Nucula praetenta'' Iredale, 1924 * ''Nucula profundorum'' E. A. Smith, 1885 * ''Nucula proxima'' Thomas Say, Say, 1822 - Atlantic nutclam * ''Nucula pseudoexigua'' Villarroel & Stuardo, 1998 * ''Nucula pusilla'' Angas, 1877 * ''Nucula recens'' Richard Dell, Dell, 1956 * ''Nucula revei'' Bergmans, 1978 * ''Nucula rhytidopleura'' Kilburn, 1999 * ''Nucula rossiana''

, 1930 * ''Nucula rugulosa'' G. B. Sowerby I, 1833 * ''Nucula saltator'' (Iredale, 1939) * ''Nucula schencki'' Hertlein & Strong, 1940 * ''Nucula sculpturata'' G. B. Sowerby III, 1904 * ''Nucula semen'' Thiele & Jaeckel, 1931 * ''Nucula semiornata'' d'Orbigny, 1842 * ''Nucula sericea'' Thiele & Jaeckel, 1931 * ''Nucula striolata'' A. Adams, 1856 * ''Nucula suahelica'' (Thiele & Jaeckel, 1931) * ''Nucula subluxa'' Kilburn, 1999 * ''Nucula subovata'' Addison Emery Verrill, Verrill & Bush, 1898 * ''Nucula sulcata'' Bronn, 1831 * ''Nucula sultana'' Thiele & Jaeckel, 1931 * ''Nucula surinamensis'' Van Regteren Altena, 1968 * ''Nucula tamatavica'' Odhner, 1943 * ''Nucula tenuis'' (Montagu, 1808) * ''Nucula tersior'' Marwick, 1929 † * ''Nucula thielei'' Schenck, 1939 * ''Nucula tokyoensis'' Yokoyama, 1920 * ''Nucula torresi'' E. A. Smith, 1885 * ''Nucula trigonica'' Lan & Lee, 2001 * ''Nucula tumidula'' (Malm, 1860) * ''Nucula venezuelana'' Weisbord, 1964 * ''Nucula vincentiana'' (Cotton & Godfrey, 1938) * ''Nucula zophos'' A. H. Clark, 1960

Extinct species

Extinct species within the genus ''Nucula'' include:Fossilworks
/ref> *''Nucula alcocki, N. alcocki'' † Noetling 1895 *''Nucula andersoni, N. andersoni'' † Clark & Durham 1946 *''Nucula assiniboiensis, N. assiniboiensis'' † Russell & Landes 1937 *''Nucula athabaskensis, N. athabaskensis'' † McLearn 1931 *''Nucula brewsterensis, N. brewsterensis'' † Hassan 1953 *''Nucula cancellata, N. cancellata'' † Meek & Hayden 1857 *''Nucula cancellata, N. cancellata'' † Vredenburg 1928 *''Nucula catalina, N. catalina'' † Olsson 1930 *''Nucula chrysocoma, N. chrysocoma'' † Dall 1908 *''Nucula cilleborgensis, N. cilleborgensis'' † Ravn 1907 *''Nucula concinna, N. concinna'' † Sowerby 1836 *''Nucula cossmanni, N. cossmanni'' † Vincent 1892 *''Nucula costaeimbricatus, N. costaeimbricatus'' † Newton 1922 *''Nucula crepida, N. crepida'' † Marwick 1931 *''Nucula cunifrons, N. cunifrons'' † Conrad 1860 *''Nucula domandaensis, N. domandaensis'' † Eames 1951 *''Nucula gabbiana, N. gabbiana'' † Dickerson 1916 *''Nucula greppina, N. greppina'' † Deshayes 1858 *''Nucula major, N. major'' † Richards 1944 *''Nucula mancorensis, N. mancorensis'' † Olsson 1931 *''Nucula martini, N. martini'' † Finlay 1927 *''Nucula micheleae, N. micheleae'' † Marincovich jr. 1993 *''Nucula morundiana, N. morundiana'' † Tate 1886 *''Nucula narica, N. narica'' † Vredenburg 1928 *''Nucula nejdensis, N. nejdensis'' † Abbass 1972 *''Nucula njalindungensis, N. njalindugensis'' † Martin 1919 *''Nucula observatoria, N. observatoria'' † Ihering 1907 *''Nucula orbicella, N. orbicella'' † Olsson 1922 *''Nucula paboensis, N. paboensis'' † Olsson 1931 *''Nucula paytensis, N. paytensis'' † Adams 1856 *''Nucula piacentina, N. piacentina'' † Lamarck *''Nucula pilkeyi, N. pilkeyi'' † Ward & Blackwelder 1987 *''Nucula planimarginata, N. planimarginata'' † Meek & Hayden 1857 *''Nucula praemissa, N. praemissa'' † Semper 1861 *''Nucula prunicola, N. prunicola'' † Dall 1898 *''Nucula rembangensis, N. rembangensis'' † Martin 1919 *''Nucula reticularis, N. reticularis'' † Ortmann 1900 *''Nucula sedanensis, N. sedanensis'' † Haanstra & Spiker 1932 *''Nucula semistriata, N. semistriata'' † Tate 1886 *''Nucula shaleri, N. shaleri'' † Dall 1894 *''Nucula sinaria, N. sinaria'' † Dall 1898 *''Nucula stantoni, N. stantoni'' † Stephenson 1923 *''Nucula studeri, N. studeri'' † d'Archiac 1850 *''Nucula subrotundata, N. subrotundata'' † Morningstar 1922 *''Nucula subtransversa, N. subtransversa'' † Nyst 1844 *''Nucula suprastriata, N. suprastriata'' † Arnold 1903 *''Nucula tallahalaensis, N. tallahalaensis'' † Dockery 1982 *''Nucula taphria, N. taphria'' † Dall 1898 *''Nucula tatriana, N. tatriana'' † King 1850 *''Nucula tersior, N. tersior'' † Marwick 1929 *''Nucula tumida, N. tumida'' † Tenison Woods 1877 *''Nucula turgens, N. turgens'' † Wood 1879 *''Nucula venezuelana, N. venezuelana'' † Weisbord 1964 *''Nucula ventricosa, N. ventricosa'' † Hall 1868 *''Nucula vestigia, N. vestigia'' † Marwick 1929 *''Nucula vicksburgensis, N. vicksburgensis'' † Conrad 1848 *''Nucula waikuraensis, N. waikuraensis'' † Marwick 1931 *''Nucula washingtonensis, N. washingtonensis'' † Weaver 1916

References

* Arthur William Baden Powell, Powell A. W. B., ''New Zealand Mollusca'', HarperCollins, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 {{Authority control Nuculidae Extant Ordovician first appearances Paleozoic life of Alberta Paleozoic life of the Northwest Territories Paleozoic life of Nova Scotia Paleozoic life of Nunavut Paleozoic life of Ontario Paleozoic life of Quebec Paleozoic life of Yukon Bivalve genera Taxa described in 1799 Taxa named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck