Question:

Which one of the following is the CORRECT statement regarding the ecology of bivalves?

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Bivalves like Venus are known for their burrowing behavior, typically in shallow sediments. Pecten and other bivalves have different ecological strategies such as swimming or attaching to surfaces.
Updated On: Dec 4, 2025
  • Pholas is a swimming form
  • Venus is a shallow burrower
  • Pecten is a stone borer
  • Spondylus is a deep burrower
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Bivalves are a group of marine and freshwater mollusks that are characterized by their two hinged shells. They exhibit a wide variety of ecological strategies based on how they interact with their environment. These interactions are often linked to their feeding habits, mobility, and the way they burrow or attach to substrates.
Step 1: Pholas
Pholas is a genus of bivalves that are well known for being burrowers, not swimmers. They are typically found in soft sediments where they use their specialized shell to burrow into the substrate. Therefore, option (A) is incorrect as Pholas is not a swimming form.
Step 2: Venus
Venus bivalves are well-known shallow burrowers. They inhabit soft sediments and create shallow burrows where they feed on particles from the water. The genus Venus typically does not burrow deeply into the sediment, making it a shallow burrower. Therefore, option (B) is the correct answer.
Step 3: Pecten
Pecten is a genus of bivalves known for their ability to swim, not for boring into stone. They are commonly referred to as scallops and are known to use a swimming motion to move through the water column. Thus, option (C) is incorrect.
Step 4: Spondylus
Spondylus is a genus of bivalves that are typically found attached to hard substrates like rocks or coral. They are not deep burrowers, as their ecology involves attaching to substrates rather than burrowing deeply into the sediment. Therefore, option (D) is incorrect.
Step 5: Conclusion
The correct statement regarding the ecology of bivalves is (B) Venus is a shallow burrower, as Venus bivalves typically inhabit shallow burrows in soft sediments.
Final Answer:
\[ \boxed{(B)} \]
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