Grooved carpet shell
| Grooved carpet shell | |
|---|---|
| Pleistocene fossil shell from the North Sea | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Order: | Venerida |
| Family: | Veneridae |
| Genus: | Ruditapes |
| Species: | R. decussatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Ruditapes decussatus | |
| Synonyms | |
The grooved carpet shell, or Palourde clam, Ruditapes decussatus, or Venerupis decussatus, is a clam (bivalve mollusc) in the family Veneridae. It is distributed worldwide and is highly prized due to its ecological and economic interest. It has been proposed as a bioindicator.
This species is one of the most popular and profitable mollusks of lagoonal and coastal sites in the Mediterranean and adjoining Atlantic coast where it has been collected since a long time ago as food. It is consumed fresh and canned. Several dishes like Spaghetti alle vongole and the Portuguese Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato, make use of it.