Campbell, Steiner, Campbell & Dreyer* reported eight Chama in Florida with photos and descriptions. Abbott reported the same eight, but included descriptions for only six . Redfern reported five of these from the Bahamas. Recently, in trying to identify one just collected, the difference between Chama and Pseudochama was pointed out to me. In doing follow-up research I found that the two Pseudochama in Florida had been recently reclassified as Chama. See discussion. So, with all this new information I started back through my collection of Chamids to see what I really had. Along the way I took some photos and decided to present those I have.

The eight Florida Chama are (listed in the order of commonality):

C. macerophylla (Gmelin, 1791) Link
C. congregata Conrad, 1833 Link
C. radians Lamarck, 1819 Link
C. sinuosa Broderip, 1835
C. florida Lamarck, 1819 Link
C. inezae (F. M. Bayer, 1943) Link
C. sarda Reeve, 1847
C. lactuca Dall, 1886

Those with links are posted on LTS. The last two are the ones absent from my presentations. I’d be happy to hear from anyone with Florida specimens of these last species.

*Campbell, M. R., Steiner, G., Campbell, L. D. and Dreyer, H., 2004. Recent Chamidae (Bivalvia) From The Western Atlantic Ocean. Malacologia 46(2): 381-415.

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