Mercenaria campechiensis

{{Speciesbox

| image = Mercenaria campechiensis valve view.JPG

| genus = Mercenaria

| species = campechiensis

| authority = (Gmelin, 1791)

| synonyms = Venus campechiensis Gmelin, 1791

}}

Mercenaria campechiensis, also known as the southern hardshell clam, southern hard clam, and southern quahog, is a species of bivalve belonging to the family Veneridae.

Mercenaria campechiensis is harvested commercially for human consumption. It can hybridize with Mercenaria mercenaria where their local distributions overlap. However, it typically occurs in nearshore open-ocean waters, whereas Mercenaria mercenaria is found in embayments and estuaries.

Description

Mercenaria campechiensis can grow to a total length of {{cvt|15-18|cm}}. It can reach at least 28 years in age. The shell is roundish. The presence of anterior concentric ridges can be used to differentiate Mercenaria campechiensis from Mercenaria mercenaria (ridges absent).

Right and left valve of the same specimen:

File:Mercenaria campechiensis 01.jpg|Right valve

File:Mercenaria campechiensis 02.jpg|Left valve

Distribution

The species is found in western North Atlantic, north to New Jersey (USA), including the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico in waters shallower than 20 meters.

References

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

{{cite journal |last1=Arnold |first1=W. S. |last2=Bert |first2=T.M. |last3=Quitmyer |first3=I. R. |last4=Jones |first4=D. S. |title=Contemporaneous deposition of annual growth bands in Mercenaria mercenaria (Linnaeus), Mercenaria campechiensis (Gmelin), and their natural hybrid forms |journal=Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology |date=1998 |volume=223 |issue=1 |pages=93–109 |doi=10.1016/S0022-0981(97)00152-4}}

{{GBIF |id=2287667 |taxon=Mercenaria campechiensis (Gmelin, 1791) |access-date=17 October 2024}}

{{cite journal |last1=Heekenda |first1=Erangi J. |last2=Austin |first2=James D. |last3=Zhang |first3=Zhe |last4=Yang |first4=Huiping |title=Phenotypic and genetic identification of Mercenaria mercenaria, Mercenaria campechiensis, and their hybrids |journal=Journal of Shellfish Research |date=2020 |volume=39 |issue=3 |pages=535–546 |doi=10.2983/035.039.0304}}

{{cite journal |last1=Jones |first1=D. S. |last2=Quitmyer |first2=I. R. |last3=Arnold |first3=W. S. |last4=Marelli |first4=D. C. |title=Annual shell banding, age, and growth rate of hard clams (Mercenaria spp.) from Florida |journal=Journal of Shellfish Reaseaech |date=1990 |volume=9 |pages=215–225 |url=https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/ocrd/262033.pdf }}

{{SeaLifeBase species |genus=Mercenaria |species=campechiensis |month=August |year=2024 }}

{{cite WoRMS |title=Mercenaria campechiensis (Gmelin, 1791) |year=2024 |id=422678 |db=MolluscaBase |access-date=17 October 2024}}

}}

Category:Veneridae

Category:Molluscs of the Atlantic Ocean

Category:Bivalves of North America

Category:Marine molluscs of North America

Category:Commercial molluscs

Category:Bivalves described in 1791

Category:Taxa named by Johann Friedrich Gmelin