Clams are bivalve mollusks within the class Bivalvia (formerly Pelecypoda), characterized by a laterally compressed body enclosed between two calcareous shell valves hinged dorsally. They exhibit a reduced head, lack a radula, and possess paired ctenidia (gills) that function in both respiration and filter feeding. Most clams are infaunal, using a muscular foot for burrowing into sediment, and feed by pumping water through siphons to capture suspended particles. Their life cycle typically includes a free-swimming trochophore and veliger larval stage. Clams play significant roles in benthic ecosystems as bioturbators and filter feeders and are important models in ecotoxicology and environmental monitoring.
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