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Bivalvia (/ b aɪ ˈ v æ l v i ə /) or bivalves, in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class of aquatic molluscs (marine and freshwater) that have laterally compressed soft bodies enclosed by a calcified exoskeleton consisting of a hinged pair of half-shells known as valves.
The internal anatomy is visible, including the paired siphons to the right A siphon is an anatomical structure which is part of the body of aquatic molluscs in three classes : Gastropoda , Bivalvia and Cephalopoda (members of these classes include saltwater and freshwater snails , clams , octopus , squid and relatives).
The main body cavity is a hemocoel through which blood circulates; as such, their circulatory systems are mainly open. The "generalized" mollusc's feeding system consists of a rasping "tongue", the radula, and a complex digestive system in which exuded mucus and microscopic, muscle-powered "hairs" called cilia play various
Because of the open circulatory system of gastropods and other molluscs, there is no clear distinction between the blood and the lymph, or interstitial fluid. As a result, the circulatory fluid is commonly referred to as haemolymph, rather than blood. The majority of gastropods have haemolymph containing the respiratory pigment haemocyanin.
Scallop (/ ˈ s k ɒ l ə p, ˈ s k æ l ə p /) [a] is a common name that encompasses various species of marine bivalve mollusks in the taxonomic family Pectinidae, the scallops.However, the common name "scallop" is also sometimes applied to species in other closely related families within the superfamily Pectinoidea, which also includes the thorny oysters.
Freshwater bivalves are molluscs of the order Bivalvia that inhabit freshwater ecosystems. They are one of the two main groups of freshwater molluscs , along with freshwater snails . The majority of bivalve molluscs are saltwater species that live in the marine habitats , but a number of families have evolved to live in fresh water (and in some ...
In some mollusks the mantle cavity is a brood chamber, and in cephalopods and some bivalves such as scallops, it is a locomotory organ. The mantle is highly muscular. In cephalopods the contraction of the mantle is used to force water through a tubular siphon, the hyponome , and this propels the animal very rapidly through the water.
A bivalve shell is composed of two hinged valves which are joined by a ligament. Four views of a shell of the land snail Arianta arbustorum The giant clam (Tridacna gigas) is the largest extant species of bivalve. The mantle is visible between the open valves. A mollusc shell is formed, repaired and maintained by a part of the anatomy called ...