Morfologia de espécies do gênero Spondylus (MOLLUSCA: BIVALVIA, SPONDYLIDAE) depositados na coleção malacológica

Abstract

The systematics of the Spondylidae family (Spondylus), constituted of a single genus, is still strongly based on the conquiological study. Data on the biology and anatomy of the genus are scarce or absent in the literature. The present work aims to perform a morphological study (conquiology and internal anatomy) of Spondylus species, seeking to complement information about species, genus and family. The specimens used in the study were from the Coleção Malacológica “Prof. Henry Ramos Matthews”, Serie B of the Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC). For the conquiological analysis, morphometry of the right and left valves was performed, and for the study of the internal anatomy, the animals were dissected by conventional techniques. A large variation in the shell morphology was observed, however, internally the structures were similar within the S. americanus species. Some specimens had the characteristics of their shells immersed in a zone of intersection of characteristics between the species, and cannot be identified according to conquiological criteria. More anatomical studies as well as molecular studies are needed to make species, genera and families better understood.