The science of classifying organisms is called Taxonomy

In the study of living things, scientists classify each organism into categories. 

The examples listed below are the Hard Clam or Northern Quahog and the Blue Crab

adductor (muscle) -  a round, meaty muscle that the bivalve uses to open and close its shell

algivorous - feeding on algae as a primary food source

anterior - the side of a clam - foot end (opposite of posterior)   <see image>

apron - a small and short abdomen, which is bent up beneath a crab's larger thorax <see image>

arthropod - an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton (external skeleton), a segmented body, and jointed appendages

beak - the tip of each valve, the oldest part of the shell, generally pointed and near the hinge.
The general region of the beak is often called the umbone or umbo. <see image>

bivalve - a freshwater or saltwater mollusk with a shell consisting of two rounded plates called valves joined at one edge by a flexible ligament called the hinge

bolus - a mass of food preparation ready to be passed through the gastrointestinal tract

buckram crabs are at a stage following papershell when the shell is starting to harden but is still pliable

byssal threads - the threads some bivalves such as mussels and scallops secrete with their foot to attach the shell to a rock or other substrate  <see image>

byssus - a bundle of strong, hair-like (byssal) threads originating from posterior end of (often reduced) foot. Produced by byssal gland and extended from shell to attach to hard substrates

calcareous - adj. - composed of, containing, or characteristic of calcium carbonate, calcium, or limestone; chalky   - clam shells are made primarily of calcium carbonate

carapace - a hard, bony outer covering, such as the portion of the exoskeleton covering the head and thorax of a crustacean

cardinal tooth - on a bivalve shell, a (usually relatively short) tooth below the beak of the umbo, and usually aligned with the beak <see image>.  Contrasted with lateral tooth

chelea - (cheliped) a large pincer-like claw of such arthropods as the crab and scorpion

chitin - a nitrogen-containing polysaccharide, related chemically to cellulose, that forms a semitransparent horny substance and is a principal constituent of the exoskeleton, or outer covering, of crustaceans and insects

chitinous - a tough, protective, semi-transparent substance forming the principal component of arthropod exoskeletons. The teeth of a snail's radula is comprised of the same material

cilia - plural for cilium - microscopic, hair-like projection on the surfaces of some cells and of certain organisms.

columella - the hidden central axis of a whelk or snail shell that a series of whorls are wound around.

crustacean - one of  a large group of arthropods which includes animals such as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles.

ctenodont  hinge - (c is silent) - a hinge having marginal projections that resemble the teeth of a comb (characteristic of  Ark clams)

decapods - having ten (deca) feet (pods) - characteristic of crabs

detritus - an accumulation of disintegrated organic material or debris

dorsal - the side of a clam - location of the umbo, beak and hinge (opposite of ventral) <see image>

equivalved - both valves being equal in size and shape.

estuary - a zone along a coastline where freshwater systems and rivers meet and mix with salt water

exoskeleton - an external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body

gastropod - (meaning stomach-foot) a mollusk that typically has a large foot for crawling and a single coiled shell that covers the soft body. Snails and whelks are gastropods.

gill - a respiratory organ in aquatic organisms whose function is to extract dissolved oxygen from water and excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species such as hermit crabs have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are kept moist.

hemoglobin - a protein that is carried by red cells. It picks up oxygen in the lungs (or gills in the case of the Blood Ark) and delivers it to the peripheral tissues to maintain the viability of cells

herbivore - (Latin: herba, vegetation ; vorare to devour) a species that eat plants as their primary food source  - herbivorous

hinge - the shell of a bivalve is composed of two parts, two valves which are joined together by a ligament, usually with a set of interlocking "teeth" collectively known as the hinge.

inequivalved - two valves of unequal size and shape

invertebrate - an animal without a backbone

labial palps - a pair of fleshy appendages on either side of the mouth of certain bivalve mollusks

larva (plural larvae) - a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults

lateral tooth - on bivalve shells, a usually relatively long tooth extending more or less parallel to the dorsal shell margin; separated from cardinal teeth by a space.  Called anterior lateral teeth if anterior to the beak of the umbo; posterior lateral teeth if posterior to the beak   <see image>

lingual ribbon - another name for radula

ligament - an elastic, multilayered structure joining two valves of shell dorsally, typically posterior to beak. <see image>

metamorphosis (metamorph) - when the larval stage is terminated by metamorphosis and the transition to the early juvenile stage, which resembles a miniature of the adult form

nacre - the shiny, pearly lining on the inside of some bivalve shells. Sometimes called "mother of pearl

nocturnal - an animal behavior characterized by activity during the night and sleeping during the day.

nudibranch - shell-less colorful little mollusks. They come in lots of different shapes and sizes live in the low tide and eat sponges

omnivore - (Latin: omni all, everything; vorare to devour) a species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source - omnivorous

operculum - a disc of calcium phosphate and mucilage secreted by snails over the aperture of their shells

palp - an appendage found near the mouth in invertebrates (also see labial palps)

photosynthesis - the process through which plants and algae generate their food. In this process carbon dioxide is converted into organic compounds, more specifically sugars, through the energy coming from sunlight

phytoplankton - microscopic organisms that live in watery environments. They live near the surface where there is sufficient light for photosynthesis . An example would be green algae.  "Phyto" is the Greek word for "plant"

pincers - claw -a grasping structure on the limb of a crustacean or other arthropods

plankton - microscopic organisms that live in watery environments, both salty and fresh. "Plankton" is  Greek for "made to wander or drift"

pleopod - one of the paired abdominal appendages of certain aquatic crustaceans that function primarily for carrying the eggs in females and are usually adapted for swimming (see swimmerets)

posterior - the side of a clam - siphon end (opposite of anterior) <see image>

proboscis - an elongated appendage from the head of an animal.  The most common usage is to refer to the tubular feeding and sucking organ of certain invertebrates.  In simpler terms, a proboscis is the straw-like mouth.

protobranch - “first gills.” - a subclass of bivalves (considered primitive) with lungs that are used only for oxygen exchange and not for feeding. 

pseudofeces -  feces-like deposits released by bivalves.  As a  bivalve filter feeds, rejected materials are gathered by cilia and mucus on the gills and swept out as pseudofeces, while food particles are transported to the mouth.  Feces are waste from digested food.

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SAV - Submerged  Aquatic Vegetation - vegetation that lives at or below the water surface.  An important habitat for young fish and other aquatic organisms

seed - refers to clams and oysters that are too small to harvest, but it generally refers to juvenile clams and oysters that have recently set.

siphon - the part of a clam's (or mussel's) anatomy that draws in water (incurrent siphon) to get food and oxygen and expels waste (excurrent siphon)

sp. - The abbreviation "sp." is used when an actual specific species name cannot or need not be specified. The abbreviation "spp." (plural) indicates "several species"

spat - refers to a recently metamorphosed oyster. The term may be applied to any small oyster.

subtidal zone - the marine zone below the intertidal zone that remains submerged at low tide; generally only refers to near-shore or coastal areas.

swash zone - an area of a beach where water washes up on shore after an incoming wave has broken. This action causes sand and other light particles to be transported up the beach

swimmerets - one of the paired abdominal appendages of certain aquatic crustaceans, such as shrimp and lobsters that function primarily for carrying the eggs in females and are usually adapted for swimming  (also called pleopod)

taxodont hinge - teeth and sockets are small and numerous. They are arranged in a row on each side of the shell near the beak, on both valves.  <see example>

terrestrial - living or growing on land; not aquatic.

umbo - the oldest section of the clam shell with subsequent shell growth radiating out from it.  It is commonly known as the "beak"  <see image>

valve - one of the two calcareous shell elements secreted by the mantle covering left and right sides of the soft body. The two valves are joined dorsally by a hinge and ligament

 velinger - the term veliger comes from the word velum. A velum is a ciliated lobe that helps certain larvae swim, feed and breathe

ventral - the side of a clam where shell growth continues (opposite of dorsal) <see image>

visceral mass - In a mollusk, the largest part of the soft body which includes the digestive and reproductive systems and muscular foot

Wampum - small cylindrical beads made from polished shells formerly used by certain Native American peoples as currency and jewelry or for ceremonial exchanges between groups

            <learn more>

water column - The water located vertically over a specific point or station

whorl -  a cluster of cells or tissue that surround another, that starts at the same plain of axis or starts at one point and wraps around that point in an expanding circular pattern  <see example>