Over 500 living species of venerid bivalves are known, most of which are edible, and many of which are exploited as food sources.

The characters used for classifying this group still tend to be superficial, focusing on external features, especially those of the shell.

One small subfamily, the Samarangiinae, is created for a unique and rare clam found in coral reefs with an outer covering of cemented sand or mud that texturally camouflages it while enhancing the thickness of the shell.

Further reclassification is to be expected as the results of current research in molecular systematics on the group appear in the literature.

Venerids have rounded or oval solid shells with the umbones (projections) inturned towards the anterior end.