Macrocallista nimbosa
Macrocallista nimbosa (Lightfoot, 1786)
Sunray venus
Macrocallista nimbosa
photo by Coltro, Marcus

Family:  Veneridae (venus clams)
Max. size:  15 cm DL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthic; marine; depth range 0 - 55 m
Distribution:  Western Central Atlantic: North Carolina to Texas, USA and Mexico.
Diagnosis:  Shell elongate, ovate. Surface glossy. Sculpture almost completely absent, except for weak growth lines and radial riblets. Lunule oval. Long external ligament. Colour: salmon to greyish purple, with darker, brownish radial bands; lunule purplish.
Biology:  Fisheries: Commercial production ceased in Florida in 1973. Lives in sandy bottoms (Ref. 344). Suspension/ filter feeder (Ref. 104247). In general, suspension feeding bivalves mainly depend on phytoplankton and detritus material for nutrition (Ref. 107088).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans: 
Country info:   
 

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