ASTARTIDVE. 483 



Fain. ASTARTLD^. 



Labial palps plicate, short, triangular. Lobes of mantle 

 disunited in their entire length, the branchial margin 

 bearded; gills two pairs, rounded in front, tapering and free 

 behind the body. Foot conical, compressed, rather an- 

 gulated behind. 



Shell free, oblong or cordate, thick; surface of valves 

 often concentrically ribbed, and covered with a brown 

 epidermis. Hinge with strongly-developed cardinal teeth. 

 Pallial impression quite entire, or with only a slight indi- 

 cation of a sinus. 



Marine. 



Genus ASTARTE, J. Sowerby. 



Shell solid, closed, oblong, sub-orbicular or triangular, 

 equivalve; surface of valves smooth or transversely fur- 

 rowed, covered with a thick, brown epidermis; lunule almost 

 always distinct. Hinge composed of two strong, diverging 

 primary teeth in one valve, and a primary tooth in the 

 other; ligament external, elongated, usually lodged in a 

 lozenge. Muscular impressions ovate, strongly marked ; 

 pallial line simple. 



Syn. Crassina, Lam. Tridonta, Schum. Mactrina, 

 Broun. Goodallia, Turton. Nicania, Leach. 



Ex. A. sulcata, Da Costa, pi. 115, fig. 6. Shell, A. 

 sulcata, fig. 6, a, 6, b. 



The species of Astarte are found in sandy mud in 

 Northern Seas ; on the shores of Norway, Greenland, 

 Northern Europe, and North America. The valves of 

 the shell are nearly always covered with a dark, chest- 



