The first cave-bound mollusc species from the Americas

The first cave-bound mollusc species from the Americas

Exclusively subterranean bivalves - the group of molluscs comprising clams, oysters, mussels, scallops - are considered a rarity. Prior to the present study, there had only been three such species confirmed in the world: all belonging to a small-sized mussel genus known from southeastern Europe. Against the odds, a new Brazilian study, published in the open-access scholarly journal Subterranean Biology, describes a new to science species of clea…

The first cave-bound mollusc species from the Americas

Exclusively subterranean bivalves—the group of molluscs comprising clams, oysters, mussels, scallops—are considered a rarity. Prior to the present study, there had only been three such species confirmed in the world: all belonging to a small-sized mussel genus known from southeastern Europe. Furthermore, bivalves are not your typical 'underworld' dweller, since they are almost immobile and do not tolerate environments low in oxygen.

The First Cave-Bound Mollusc Species From the Americas

Exclusively subterranean bivalves - the group of molluscs comprising clams, oysters, mussels, scallops - are considered a rarity.