Lamarck took this genus from the Chama on account of several peculiarities in the shell as well as in the animal. It is not affixed to other bodies by its lower valve, but, according to De Blainville, lies exposed on the rocks. There is some difficulty in distinguishing this genus from the Venericardia, without carefully examining the position of the two teeth.
Shell regular, thick, solid, equivalve, more or less inequilateral; summit dorsal, always very recurved anteriorly; hinge similar, formed by two oblique teeth; one short cardinal placed beneath the umbo, the other oblique, arched, marginal, and prolonged; ligament elongated, sub-exterior, and inserted; two very distinct muscular impressions.
Cardita sulcata.
C. ajar.
C. turgida.
C. squamosa.
C. phrenetica.
C. crassicosta.
C. rufescens.
C. calyculata.