Basic info Taxonomic history Classification Included Taxa
Morphology Ecology and taphonomy External Literature Search Age range and collections

Mercenaria (quahog)

Bivalvia - Cardiida - Veneridae

Taxonomy
Mercenaria was named by Schumacher (1817) [Sepkoski's age data: T Ol-u R Sepkoski's reference number: 1112]. It is extant.

It was reranked as Venus (Mercenaria) by Gardner (1943).

It was assigned to Venus by Gardner (1943); to Chioninae by Ward (1992); to Veneridae by Ward and Blackwelder (1987), Coan et al. (2000) and Todd (2001); to Veneroida by Sepkoski (2002); and to Venerinae by Coan and Valentich-Scott (2012).

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1817Mercenaria Schumacher
1943Venus (Mercenaria) Gardner p. 129
1983Mclellania Wilson p. 486
1987Mercenaria Ward and Blackwelder p. 130
1992Mercenaria Ward p. 107
2000Mercenaria Coan et al. p. 373
2001Mercenaria Todd
2002Mclelannia Sepkoski
2002Mercenaria Sepkoski
2012Mercenaria Coan and Valentich-Scott p. 781

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Protostomia
Spiralia
superphylumLophotrochozoa
phylumMollusca
classBivalvia
Eubivalvia
subclassAutobranchia(Groblen 1894)
infraclassHeteroconchia(Gray 1854)
CardiomorphiFerussac 1822
RankNameAuthor
CardioniFerussac 1822
CardiidiaFerussac 1822
CardiataFerussac 1822
superorderCardiiformiiFerussac 1822
orderCardiidaFerussac 1822
suborderCardiidinaFerussac 1822
Veneroidei(Gray 1854)
VeneroiteiGray 1854
superfamilyVeneroidea(Rafinesque 1815)
familyVeneridaeRafinesque 1815
subfamilyVenerinaeRafinesque 1815
genusMercenariaSchumacher 1817

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

G. Mercenaria Schumacher 1817 [quahog]
show all | hide all
Mercenaria blakei Ward 1992
hide
Invalid names: Venus mortoni Conrad 1837 [synonym]
Mercenaria capax Conrad 1843
Mercenaria cuneata Conrad 1869
Mercenaria druidi Ward 1992
hide
Invalid names: Venus (Mercenaria) berryi Gardner 1943 [replaced]
Mercenaria ducatelli Conrad 1838
Mercenaria erecta Kellum 1926
Mercenaria gardnerae Kellum 1926
Mercenaria langdoni Dall 1900
Mercenaria mercenaria Linnaeus 1758
Mercenaria nannodes Gardner 1947
Mercenaria permagna Conrad 1838
Mercenaria plena Conrad 1869
hide
Mercenaria prodroma Gardner 1947
Mercenaria tetrica Conrad 1838
Mercenaria violacea Schumacher 1817
Invalid names: Mclellania Wilson 1983 [synonym]
Diagnosis
No diagnoses are available
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: aragonitef
Locomotion: facultatively mobileg
Life habit: infaunalg
Diet: suspension feederg
Vision: blindc
Comments: LIFE HISTORY: IS, MA, UN, SU according to Todd (2001).g
Created: 2009-09-04 16:37:21
Modified: 2009-09-04 18:37:21
Source: g = genus, f = family, c = class
References: Hendy et al. 2009, Aberhan et al. 2004, Kiessling 2004

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Chattian to the top of the Holocene or 28.10000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 23.03 Ma

Collections (329 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Late/Upper Oligocene28.4 - 23.03USA (North Carolina) Mercenaria capax (71651) Venus gardnerae, Venus erecta, Mercenaria capax (71652)
Chattian28.1 - 23.03USA (North Carolina) Mercenaria capax (71650)
Early/Lower Miocene23.03 - 15.97USA (New Jersey) Venus mercenaria (59723 59725 59736 59737 59748 59754 92755 92759 92760 92761 92769) Venus mercenaria, Venus ducatelli (59335) Venus plena (59336 92762) Venus sp. (92757)
Early/Lower Miocene23.03 - 15.97USA (Virginia) Mercenaria capax (60658 71653)
Early/Lower Miocene23.03 - 15.97USA (North Carolina) Venus gardnerae, Venus erecta (41986 41987 41993)
Early/Lower Miocene23.03 - 15.97Brazil (Para) Mercenaria prototypa (65162 112590)
Miocene23.03 - 5.333USA (New Jersey) Venus mercenaria (92756)
Miocene23.03 - 5.333Japan Mercenaria chitaniana (52320 52322 52323 52328 52330)
Miocene23.03 - 5.333USA (Virginia) Mercenaria sp. (61276)
Burdigalian20.44 - 15.97USA (Delaware) Mercenaria ducatelli (18579)
Burdigalian20.44 - 15.97USA (Maryland) Mercenaria ducatelli (79101) Mercenaria sp. (79102)
Burdigalian20.44 - 15.97USA (Florida) Mercenaria langdoni (68971) Venus langdoni (42367 42424 42443 42447) Venus prodroma (42663 42677 42682 42685)
Burdigalian20.44 - 15.97USA (Georgia) Venus langdoni (42069 42109) Venus langdoni, Venus prodroma (42212)
Langhian15.97 - 13.82Japan (Hokkaido) Mercenaria chitaniana (77919)
Langhian15.97 - 13.82Japan Mercenaria yokoyamai (127690)
Langhian15.97 - 13.82USA (Maryland) Mercenaria blakei (55517 69023 69024) Venus mercenaria (70819 70823) Venus rileyi (60379)
Langhian - Serravallian15.97 - 11.62Brazil (Para) Mercenaria prototypa (58454)
Middle Miocene15.97 - 11.608Russian Federation (Sakhalinskaya) Mercenaria yiizukai (61933)
Middle Miocene15.97 - 11.608Japan Mercenaria protostimpsoni (81701) Mercenaria sp. (81703) Mercenaria yiizukai (70399 70597 81704) Mercenaria yiizukai, Mercenaria protostimpsoni (81705)
Serravallian13.82 - 11.62Japan Mercenaria yokoyamai (44962)
Serravallian13.82 - 11.62USA (Florida) Mercenaria langdoni (68970) Mercenaria prodona (80018 80019 80021) Mercenaria prodroma (136943) Mercenaria prodroma, Mercenaria nannodes (111204) Venus nannodes (42692 42819 42870 42874 42875 42884 43014 94810) Venus prodroma (43024)
Serravallian13.82 - 11.62USA (Maryland) Mercenaria cuneata (60376 70844 70845 70846 71638 71639) Mercenaria plena (79115) Mercenaria sp. (70828 71641 79103 79105 79107 79109 79110 79111 79114 79352 79353) Mercenaria sp., Mercenaria campechiensis (79106 79112) Mercenaria sp., Mercenaria campechiensis, Mercenaria plena (79113) Mercenaria staminea, Mercenaria cuneata (55396) Venus campechiensis (70842) Venus campechiensis, Mercenaria cuneata (70832) Venus campechiensis, Venus mercenaria, Mercenaria cuneata (70830)
Serravallian13.82 - 11.62USA (Virginia) Mercenaria cuneata (71642 71643)
Tortonian11.62 - 7.246USA (Virginia) Mercenaria tetrica (71632 71637)
Tortonian11.62 - 7.246USA (Maryland) Mercenaria cuneata (71631 71635) Mercenaria sp. (70849 70850) Mercenaria tetrica (71636) Venus campechiensis, Mercenaria tetrica (70853)
Late/Upper Miocene11.608 - 5.333USA (Maryland) Mercenaria campechiensis, Mercenaria tetrica (69032) Mercenaria cuneata (59302 59305) Mercenaria sp. (68978) Mercenaria subcuneata (59306) Mercenaria tetrica (51722 59303 59304 69017) Mercenaria tetrica, Mercenaria cuneata (51727)
Late/Upper Miocene11.608 - 5.333Japan Mercenaria chitaniana (52108 52109 52112 52113 52115 52117 52123 52124 52178 52186 52187 52237 52238)
Late/Upper Miocene11.608 - 5.333USA (North Carolina) Mercenaria druidi (59299)
Late/Upper Miocene11.608 - 5.333USA (Virginia) Mercenaria druidi (59295 59296) Mercenaria sp. (61290 79754)
Late/Upper Miocene11.608 - 5.333Indonesia Mercenaria problematica (70077 70100)
Late/Upper Miocene11.608 - 5.333Haiti Venus berryi (60106)
Messinian7.246 - 5.333USA (Virginia) Mercenaria druidi (71536 71618 71619 71623 71626 71628)
Early/Lower Pliocene5.333 - 3.6USA (Florida) Mercenaria campechiensis (41496)
Early/Lower Pliocene5.333 - 3.6USA (Virginia) Mercenaria inflata (59297)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6USA (North Carolina) Mclelannia aenigma (52582)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6USA (South Carolina) Mercenaria corrugata (60940)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6Japan (Aomori) Mercenaria stempsoni (55849)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6USA (Virginia) Mercenaria inflata (71620 71624)
Early/Lower Pliocene - Late/Upper Pliocene5.333 - 2.588USA (North Carolina) Venus campechiensis (59328 59329 59330)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588USA (North Carolina) Mclellania aenigma (49983) Mercenaria campechiensis (79249) Mercenaria corrugata, Mclelannia aenigma (61920 61921 61922 61923) Mercenaria rileyi (151326)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588Japan Mercenaria chitaniana (97076) Mercenaria stimpsoni, Mercenaria chitaniana (97111)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588USA (Virginia) Mercenaria corrugata, Mclelannia aenigma (61925) Venus rileyi (59293)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588Haiti Mercenaria campechiensis (60894)
Zanclean - Piacenzian5.333 - 2.588USA (Virginia) Mercenaria corrugata, Mclelannia aenigma (59155 61926 61927 61928 61929)
Zanclean - Piacenzian5.333 - 2.588USA (Florida) Mercenaria corrugata, Mclelannia aenigma (61924)
Pliocene - Pleistocene5.333 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Mercenaria campechiensis (41749)
Late/Upper Pliocene3.6 - 2.588USA (South Carolina) Mercenaria tridacnoides (60942)
Late/Upper Pliocene3.6 - 2.588USA (North Carolina) Mercenaria campechiensis (68979 79342) Mercenaria permagna (58895) Mercenaria rileyi (59301) Venus campechiensis (59307 59309 59310 59311 59327)
Late/Upper Pliocene3.6 - 2.588USA (Florida) Mercenaria carolinensis (79959) Mercenaria ochlockoneensis, Mercenaria rileyi, Mercenaria tridacnoides (79960) Mercenaria rileyi (80037 80044) Venus campechiensis (59484 59485 59486 94809) Venus tridacnoides (59487)
Late/Upper Pliocene3.6 - 2.588USA (Virginia) Mercenaria campechiensis (80036 80038 80040) Mercenaria sp. (78261 78262 78264 78265 78266 78267 78270) Mercenaria sp., Mercenaria campechiensis (79709) Mercenaria tridacnoides (60660 60667 78271 78272)
Piacenzian3.6 - 2.588Japan (Niigata) Mercenaria sp. (101021)
Piacenzian3.6 - 2.588Japan Mercenaria chitaniana (97079) Mercenaria stimpsoni, Mercenaria chitaniana (97077)
Piacenzian - Calabrian3.6 - 0.774USA (North Carolina) Mclellania aenigma (61919)
Gelasian2.588 - 1.806USA (North Carolina) Mercenaria carolinensis (71138)
Early/Lower Pleistocene2.588 - 0.781USA (Florida) Mercenaria campechiensis (41501 41718 61309) Mercenaria mercenaria (79331 79786 79787 79788 79789) Mercenaria permagna (79749)
Early/Lower Pleistocene (interglacial)2.588 - 0.781USA (North Carolina) Mercenaria permagna (211182 211183)
Early/Lower Pleistocene2.588 - 0.781USA (North Carolina) Mercenaria campechiensis (69043 80034) Mercenaria permagna (58897 58898 60986 60987 60988 60989) Mercenaria sp. (80035) Mercenaria sp., Mercenaria berryi (80033) Venus campechiensis (59312 59316 59317 59318)
Early/Lower Pleistocene2.588 - 0.781USA (South Carolina) Venus rileyi (92408) Venus sp. (92409)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (Virginia) Mercenaria campechiensis, Mercenaria mercenaria (7108) Mercenaria mercenaria (7109)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (New York) Mercenaria campechiensis (66377) Mercenaria mercenaria (66380 66381)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (South Carolina) Mercenaria campechiensis (80053)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (North Carolina) Venus campechiensis (59313)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (Delaware) Mercenaria mercenaria (66701 66702 66703)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (New Jersey) Mercenaria campechiensis, Mercenaria mercenaria (66603 66611 66612 66614 66616 66618 66621 66622 66623) Mercenaria mercenaria (66600 66604 66615 66617 66619)
Calabrian1.8 - 0.774USA (Florida) Mercenaria campechiensis (41705)
Middle Pleistocene0.774 - 0.129USA (Florida) Mercenaria campechiensis (61310 67069) Mercenaria sp. (80046)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (Georgia) Mercenaria mercenaria (20606)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Georgia) Mercenaria mercenaria (66724)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (North Carolina) Mercenaria campechiensis, Mercenaria mercenaria (66742 66748 66750) Mercenaria mercenaria (66744 66745 66747 66749 66751 66754 69045 69047)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (New York) Venus mercenaria (61270)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (New York) Mercenaria campechiensis, Mercenaria mercenaria (81751)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Virginia) Mercenaria campechiensis (57702 57706 69048 69049) Mercenaria campechiensis, Mercenaria mercenaria (57705) Mercenaria mercenaria (57703 80047)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Maryland) Mercenaria campechiensis, Mercenaria mercenaria (66721) Mercenaria mercenaria (66706 66707 66720)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (South Carolina) Mercenaria campechiensis (60927 60928 60929 60930) Mercenaria campechiensis, Mercenaria mercenaria (66756 66758 66760) Mercenaria sp. (69046) Venus mercenaria (92404)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Mercenaria campechiensis (61311 79738 79739 96538) Mercenaria mercenaria (79731) Venus campechiensis (41740) Venus campechiensis, Venus mortoni (34269)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Massachusetts) Mercenaria campechiensis, Venus mercenaria (61268) Mercenaria mercenaria (66359) Venus mercenaria (61267 61269)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0USA (Louisiana) Mercenaria campechiensis (41934 41935 41936 92772 92775 92776)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0USA (Massachusetts) Venus mercenaria (122440 176525)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0USA (Maine) Venus mercenaria (176524)