| Sphaeriidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Fourshells ofSphaerium corneum. Scale bar is in mm. | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Order: | Sphaeriida |
| Superfamily: | Sphaerioidea |
| Family: | Sphaeriidae Deshayes, 1855 (1820) |
| Genera | |
See text | |
| Synonyms | |
Cycladidae,Rafinesque 1820[1][2] | |
Sphaeriidae is afamily of small to minute freshwaterbivalvemolluscs in theorderSphaeriida. In the US, they are commonly known aspea clams orfingernail clams.[3][4]
The Sphaeriidae is actually an important group of freshwater invertebrates, seeing as they play a huge role in the energy flow and the nutrient cycling within aquatic ecosystems, in which the constitute a food item for organisms of higher trophic levels and even contribute to the bioturbation of sediments which can help create a physical resource for many other species that utilize the shells.
Genera:[5]
Sphaeriidae arehermaphrodites with internal fertilization. Developing young are incubated within their mother (ovoviviparity), and newborn clams look like miniature copies of the adults.[4]
Parasites and/or predators include theSciomyzidae.[6]
The Sphaeriidae family demonstrates a global distribution across the map, settling within many freshwater ecosystems ranging from small ponds to even large lakes and even rivers. Research in Morocco suggests five identified species within thePisidium genus and another species within theMusculium genus, where many of the species have been collected across many Moroccan basins.
The taxonomy of the Sphaeriidae has actually, up until present time, been severely challenging due to how small they are in size and their morphological similarities. The conservation status of this family has also been severely overlooked as there is a huge lack on basic knowledge of the Sphaeriidae, such as a lack of knowledge on their taxonomy, biology and even their ecology. Further research on the Sphaeriidae is extremely emphasized for a better detailed and understanding on the species.
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