-like mollusks with paired .

Those shells are described as valves, hence bivalves or "two" valves. Most bivalves are suspension feeders and lack radula as well as cephalization. In addition to clams, bivalves include , , , etc.

Bivalves are bilaterally symmetrical, but with one valve serving as the left- and the other serving as the right-side of the animal. This of course implies that one side of each valve represents the dorsal (the hinge/ side), the opposite is ventral (the side that opens), another anterior (the end), and the opposite posterior (the end).