482 solemyidjE. 



Genus SOLEMYA, Lamarck. 



Shell equivalve, inequilateral, transversely oblong, obtuse 

 at the extremities ; valves covered with a shining, brown 

 epidermis which extends beyond the margins. Hinge with 

 a cardinal tooth in each valve, and a callosity running 

 between them, which receives the ligament, showing it both 

 externally and internally. 



Syn. Solenomya, Mice. Solenymia, Swains. 



Ex. S. solen, Salis-Marchlius, pi. 115, fig. 5. Shell, 

 S. solen, fig. 5, a, 5, b. 



Stimpson observes, that the thinness of the shell enables 

 the animal to make surprising leaps, and that he has seen it 

 leaping or swimming about in the water for some time with- 

 out touching the bottom. The leap is performed by suddenly 

 drawing in the umbrella-shaped foot at the same time that 

 water is expelled from the posterior opening by the closing 

 of the valves. In this genus the posterior side of the shell 

 is the shorter, and the epidermis is greatly developed and 

 extended beyond the margin of the valves. There are 

 four species known, from the United States, New Zealand, 

 New Holland, the Mediterranean, and the Gaboon River in 

 Western Africa. The animals are usually found burrowing 

 in mud, in about two fathoms of water. 



Species of Solemya. 



australis, Lam. solen, Sails-March. 



borealis, Tott. velum, Say. 



