Phaxas is a genus of small razor shells in the family Pharidae. Members of the genus have a pair of elongate valves and live in soft sediments on the sea bed. They have a muscular foot with which they can dig rapidly and a short siphon which they extend to the surface of the substrate. They are suspension feeders.[1]

Phaxas
Shell of Phaxas tenellus (holotype at MNHN, Paris)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Bivalvia
Order: Adapedonta
Superfamily: Solenoidea
Family: Pharidae
Genus: Phaxas
Leach in Gray, 1852
Species

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Synonyms
  • Cultellus (Cultrensis) Coen, 1933
  • Cultrensis Coen, 1933
  • Phaxas (Phaxas) Leach in Gray, 1852
  • Phaxus [sic] (misspelling)

Species

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The following species are recognised:[2]

Species brought into synonymy:

  • Phaxas adriaticus (Coen, 1933): synonym of Phaxas pellucidus (Pennant, 1777)
  • Phaxas cultellus (Linnaeus, 1758): synonym of Ensiculus cultellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Phaxas decipiens (E. A. Smith, 1904) accepted as Afrophaxas decipiens (E. A. Smith, 1904)

References

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  1. ^ Barrett, J. & C. M. Yonge (1958) Collins Pocket Guide to the Sea Shore. Collins, London
  2. ^ World Register of Marine Species
  • Coen G. (1933). Molluschi nuovi di Rovigno. Note dell'Istituto Italo-Germanico di Biologia marina di Rovigno d'Istria, 6: 1-8, 1 pl.
  • Vaught, K.C.; Tucker Abbott, R.; Boss, K.J. (1989). A classification of the living Mollusca. American Malacologists: Melbourne. ISBN 0-915826-22-4. XII, 195 pp.
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