Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 3, 2026

Mactra

Mactra is a large genus of medium-sized marine bivalve mollusks or clams, commonly known as trough shells or duck clams. Mactra is the type genus within the family Mactridae.

Last revised
Jun 3, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
357 w
Citations
1
Source
Mactra
Temporal range:
Mactra stultorum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Bivalvia
Order: Venerida
Superfamily: Mactroidea
Family: Mactridae
Subfamily: Mactrinae
Genus: Mactra
Linnaeus, 1767
Species

See text

Synonyms
  • Colorimactra Iredale, 1929
  • Deikea Mayer-Eymar, 1872
  • Mactra (Mactra) Linnaeus, 1767· accepted, alternate representation
  • Mactra (Maorimactra) Finlay, 1928· accepted, alternate representation
  • Mactra (Nannomactra) Iredale, 1930· accepted, alternate representation
  • Nannomactra Iredale, 1930
  • Telemactra Iredale, 1929
  • Trigonella da Costa, 1778

Mactra is a large genus of medium-sized marine bivalve mollusks or clams, commonly known as trough shells or duck clams. Mactra is the type genus within the family Mactridae.1

The word "trough" in the common name refers to the fact that all Mactra shells have a large ligamental pit at the hinge line, which in life contains a large internal ligament. Most bivalves in other families have an external ligament instead.

Species

Mactra glauca source ↗
Species brought into synonymy
  • Mactra acutissima Cosel, 1995: synonym of Scissodesma acutissima (Cosel, 1995)
  • Mactra angolensis Cosel, 1995: synonym of Scissodesma angolensis (Cosel, 1995)
  • Mactra discors Gray, 1873: synonym of Spisula discors (Gray, 1837)
  • Mactra inconstans Cosel, 1995: synonym of Huberimactra inconstans (Cosel, 1995)
  • Mactra micronitida Cosel, 1995: synonym of Scissodesma micronitida (Cosel, 1995)
  • Mactra murchisoni Deshayes, 1854 : synonym of Spisula murchisoni (Reeve, 1854)
  • Mactra nitida Spengler, 1786: synonym of Scissodesma nitida (Gmelin, 1791)
  • Mactra ordinaria (E.A.Smith, 1898) : synonym of Maorimactra ordinaria (E. A. Smith, 1898)
  • Mactra ovata Wood 1828 : synonym of Paphies australis (Gmelin, 1791)
  • Mactra rostrata Spengler, 1802: synonym of Barymactra rostrata (Spengler, 1802)
  • Mactra silicula Reeve, 1854: synonym of Mactrotoma compressa (Spengler, 1802)
  • Mactra tristis (Reeve, 1854): synonym of Cyclomactra tristis (Reeve, 1854)
  • Mactra vitrea Gray, 1837: synonym of Huberimactra grayi (M. Huber, 2015)
References

References

  1. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Mactra Linnaeus, 1767. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=138158 on 2021-06-03