Genus of bivalves
Saxidomus, common name the "Washington clams", is a genus of large edible saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Veneridae, the Venus clams.
The species Saxidomus gigantea is known as the "butter clam".[1]
The term for saxitoxin (the neurotoxin found in paralytic shellfish poisoning) is derived from the genus name Saxidomus.
Species
Species within the genus Saxidomus include:
| Image |
Scientific name |
Common Name |
Distribution
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Saxidomus gigantea |
Butter clam |
Western coast of North America, ranging from the Aleutian Islands to San Francisco Bay
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Saxidomus nuttalli |
California butterclam and Washington clam |
Northern California to Baja California
|
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Saxidomus purpurata |
Purple butter clam |
Western Pacific China and Japan
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References
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