316 Lamarek’s Genera of Shells. 
2. Cardita*. 
Shell free, regular, equivalve, inequilateral. Two unequal 
cardinal teeth ; one short, straight, situated under the beaks ; 
the other oblique, marginal, and extending under the corselet. 
The cardite may easily be confounded with the venericardie, 
if sufficient attention be not paid to the direction of the two 
teeth, which, in the latter, are, both of them, oblique and turned 
to the same side, which is not the case with the cardite. Lin- 
neus confounded these shells with the chame, from which they 
differ, in not being inequivalve, or irregular, nor ever fixed by 
the lower valve to marine substances. They are all sea shells, 
and from the great length of the anterior, and shortness of the 
posterior side generally appear to be longitudinal. Some species 
are said to fix themselves to. marine substances by a sort of 
byssus, like the arcee and mytili. 
The species are subdivided into (1) Those whose shell i is sub- 
cordate, or oval, and rather transverse than longitudinal.—11 
species. (2) Shell rather longitudinal than transverse.—14 
species. 
Type. Cardita sulcatat. (Chama antiquata. Linn.) 
Shell subcordate, tessellated with white, red and brown; ribs 
longitudinal, convex, transversely striated. 
Mediterranean. In all 25 species. Pl. vi. Fig. 60. 
3. Cypricardia. 
Shell free, equivalve, inequilateral, obliquely or transversely 
elongated. Three cardinal teeth under the beaks, and a lateral 
tooth extending under the corselet. 
The cypricardize differ from the cardite, which they resemble 
in their general form, by having, like the veneres, three teeth 
instead of only one under the beaks. 
Type. Cypricardia Guinaicat. (Chama oblonga. Linn.) 
Shell oblong, obliquely angular, decussately striated, light 
mud colour ; anterior side compressed towards the extremity ; 
apex rounded. 
Coast of Guinea. 7 Species. Pl. vi. Fig. 61. 
¥ Allied tothe Cardium. + Furrowed;. ¢ From Guineq. 
