Vesicomyidae

Vesicomyidae is a family of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the superfamily Glossoidea. They thrive in communities of sulphide-rich reducing environments, at depths from 100 to 9050 m.

Vesicomyidae is very often studied to understand molecular adaptation to extreme deep-sea environments and biogeography. Studies of Kenzoic fossile figures show that Vesicomyidae has lived in this type of habitat since late Eocene, 42-47 millions of years ago. The taxonomy foor this family is currently under revision as there is a discrepancy between molecular data and morphological data.

Swedish researcher Frida Hybertsen has shown in her dissertation that the difference in size of the Vesicomyidae between Eocene to the Oligocene might be due to climate change.

Vesicomyidae has been found at the underwater Piip Volcano in the Bering Sea, off the Puerto Rican coast and more recently in the Ross Sea.