''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

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 beckmani'' *'' Sphaerium bequaerti'' *''

'' – European fingernail clam *'' Sphaerium lacustre'' *'' Sphaerium nitidum'' – Arctic fingernail clam *'' Sphaerium novaezelandiae'' *'' Sphaerium nucleus'' *'' Sphaerium ovale'' *'' Sphaerium rhomboideum'' *'' Sphaerium rivicola'' *'' Sphaerium solidum'' *'' Sphaerium stuhlmanni'' *'' Sphaerium transversum''

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