lamellibranch

[ luh-mel-uh-brangk ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

lamellibranch

/ ləˈmɛlɪˌbræŋk /

lamellibranch

/ lə-mĕl′ə-brănk′ /

Any of the bivalve mollusks of the subclass Lamellibranchia, the largest group of bivalves. Lamellibranchs have gills that consist of long, folded filaments with cilia at the end that draw in water for respiration and also filter food particles. Lamellibranchs include clams, scallops, and oysters.
In former classifications, any bivalve mollusk.

1850–55; < New Latin Lamellibranchia group name. See lamelli-, -branch ( def )

C19: from New Latin lamellibranchia plate-gilled (animals); see lamella , branchia

The reader has probably observed that the valves of a dead lamellibranch usually gape.

In the genus Nucula (fig. 10) we have an example of a Lamellibranch retaining this plume-like form of gill.

In other respects the anatomy of the cockle presents no important differences from that of a typical Lamellibranch.

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