The Arcida is an Extant taxon order of bivalve . This order dates back to the lower Ordovician period. They are distinguished from related groups, such as the , by having a straight hinge to the shells, and the adductor muscles being of equal size. The duplivincular ligament, taxodont dentition, and a shell microstructure consisting of the outer crossed lamellar and inner complex crossed lamellar layers are defining characters of this order.
Seven families are currently recognised within the order, including the well-known or ark shells in the family Arcidae.
In 2010, Bieler, Carter & Coan proposed a new classification system for the Bivalvia which combines the taxodont Arcida with the Dysodonta Limida Mytilida, Ostreida and Pteriida as the Pteriomorphia. Subtaxa included in the Arcida are shown below.
In 2016, the superfamilies of Arcida changed from two to three, with an additional superfamily of fossils only. The new taxonomy is as follows:
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