October 12, 2008

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Soft-shelled Clam

Scientific name: Mya arenaria

Phylum: Mollusca (Molluscs)
Class: Pelecypoda (Bivalve)

Description: Also known as the steamer clam or sand clam. This clam is long-lived and grows from 1 to 6 inches long. Its oblong shell is thin, soft and chalky gray or white.

Habitat: Soft-shelled clams burrow in mixtures of sand, mud or gravel. Typically found intertidally -- in waters up to 12 inches deep.

Range: In the United States, found on the East Coast from Labrador to North Carolina, and on the West Coast from Southern Alaska to Central California. Also found in Europe.

Importance: Sometimes used as fish bait, this clam has a long history of harvesting for human consumption. It can tolerate low levels of salinity and pollution.

Links:
MarLIN: The Marine Life Information Network for Britain and Ireland
http://www.marlin.ac.uk/index2.htm?demo/Myaare.htm

Lane Community College
http://www.lanecc.edu/science/Estuary/SOFTCLAM.102.html

eNature.com: Seashells
http://www.enature.com/fieldguide/showSpeciesGS.asp?sort=1&curGroupID=99&display=1&area=99&searchText=soft+shelled+clam&curPageNum=1&recnum=SS0016