Revision of Families Veneridae and Mactridae (Mollusca: Bivalvia) From the Suez Gulf, Egypt

A., El Mekawy H.; M., El-Sayed A. A.; A., Amer M.; H., Sarhan M.M.

doi:10.21608/eajbsz.2019.42092

Revision of Families Veneridae and Mactridae (Mollusca: Bivalvia) From the Suez Gulf, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

² Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

³ Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut Branch, Egypt

10.21608/eajbsz.2019.42092

Abstract

Thirteen species of bivalves belong to families Mactridae and Veneridae (Mollusca: Bivalvia) were identified and revised during the present study. These species were collected from 10 sites of the intertidal coastal area along the western coasts of the Suez Gulf during the period from summer 2017 to spring 2018. Family Veneridae dominated Mactridae and was represented by 11 species distributed within 8 genera belonging to 4 subfamilies called Callocardiinae, Circinae, Dosiniinae and Tapetinae. The venerid species comprised Callista florida, Pitar hebraea, Circe corcea, C. rugifera, C. scripta, Circenita callipyga, Gafrarium pectinatum, Dosinia erythraea, D. hepatica, Paphia textile, and Tapes deshayesii. In contrast, family Mactridae had only two species (Mactra lilacea and M. olorina), belong to subfamily Mactrinae. The synonyms, diagnostic characteristics, size, habitats, status, the color of live and dead shells and distribution of the identified species were recorded. The taxonomic position was given provided with a constructed key for identification.

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