Book Description:
Mollusca is one of the largest phyla in the animal kingdom, over 50,000 species having been described, thus comprising more than a half of the marine species. Molluscs are scientifically and economically important invertebrates, representing 8% of all captured marine species. One of the six molluscan classes is Bivalvia, which is composed of both marine and freshwater animals enclosed in shells with two valves. Among these, the groups of greatest economic importance are oysters, scallops, mussels and clams. This book deals with clams in the broad sense of the term, since there are several bivalve families falling into the “clam” category. The selection of the families is primarily based on their respective economic importance, in terms of fisheries and aquaculture production. These selected families are Veneridae (venus shells), Mactridae (surf clams), Donacidae (wedge shells), Myidae (softshell clams), Pharidae and Solenidae (razor clams). It must be remarked that, in some chapters or sections within them, species belonging to other families of clams are cited. (Imprint: Nova)

Table of Contents:
Preface pp. i-x
List of reviewers

Chapter 1. Introduction to the biology of clams
(da Costa, F.)pp. 1-26

Chapter 2. Aspects of global distribution of six marine bivalve mollusc families
(Saeedi, H. & Costello, M.J.)pp. 27-44

Chapter 3. Clam reproduction
(da Costa, F.; Aranda-Burgos, J.A.; Cerviño-Otero, A.; Fernández-Pardo, A.; Louzán, A.; Nóvoa, S.; Ojea, J. & Martínez-Patiño, D.)pp. 45-72

Chapter 4. Genetics studies on commercially important species of the Veneridae
(Arias-Pérez, A.; Insua, A.; Freire, R.; Méndez, J. & Fernández-Tajes, J.)
Abstract pp. 73-106

Chapter 5. Clam Symbionts(López, C.; Darriba, S. & Navas, J.I.)pp. 107-148

Chapter 6. Neoplasms in Clams(Ruiz, M. & López, C.)pp. 149-162

Chapter 7. Advances in the knowledge of the microbiota associated with clams from natural beds
(Romalde, J.L.; Diéguez, A.L.; Doce, A.; Lasa, A.; Balboa, S.; López, C. & Beaz-Hidalgo, R.)pp. 163-190

Chapter 8. Studies on the microbiota associated with clams in hatcheries
(Prado, S.; Dubert, J. & Barja, J.L.)pp. 191-216

Chapter 9. Clam hatchery and nursery culture
(da Costa, F.; Aranda-Burgos, J.A.; Cerviño-Otero, A.; Fernández-Pardo, A.; Louzán, A.; Nóvoa, S.; Ojea, J. & Martínez-Patiño, D.)pp. 217-254

Chapter 10. Clam production and cultivation in Galicia (NW Spain): the role of hatcheries
Guerra Díaz, A. pp. 255-272

Chapter 11. Artisanal exploitation of natural clam beds: organization and management tools
(Parada, J.M. & Molares, J.)pp. 273-290

Chapter 12. Clam fisheries worldwide: main species, harvesting methods and fishing impacts
(Gaspar, M.B.; Barracha, I.; Carvalho, S. & Vasconcelos, P.)pp. 291-328

Chapter 13. The habitat, fisheries and aquaculture of the Volta Clam, Galatea paradoxa in the Lower Volta river in Ghana: an example of the worldwide importance of blackish water clams
(Amoah, C. & Ofori-Danson, P.K.)pp. 329-342

Chapter 14. Clams as biological tools in marine ecotoxicology
(Beiras, R.)pp. 343-364

Index pp. 365-379