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Family  Pharidae

The Pharidae is family of shallow water bivalves that is very diverse in shell form, varying from elongate shells similar to Solenidae to ovate and to almost circular. There are about 60 species (Huber, 2010) which are widely distributed in warm and tropical waters. In NSW there is only one species, which is of tropical Indo-West Pacific distribution, extending southwards into northern Australia, with a southern limit on the east coast of Sydney.

Pharids are rapidly burrowing, infaunal, siphonate, suspension feeders. The Pharidae was previously widely known under the name of Cultellidae.

Family Reference

The family is documented by Huber (2010) and the Australian species by Lamprell & Healy (1998).

Coverage

The only NSW species is documented here.

Identification Notes

Across the family Pharidae there is a wide variety of shell form, but the only NSW species is readily identified (to genus at least) by its characteristic shell form. Unlike members of the Solenidae, whose shells have a terminal umbo, those of the Pharidae have an umbo that is near the anterior end but generally not terminal. These families are also separated on the basis of the hinge teeth.