![Clams on Sandy Hook beaches - panoramio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Clams_on_Sandy_Hook_beaches_-_panoramio.jpg)
Clam is a
common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...
for several kinds of
bivalve
Bivalvia (), in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class of marine and freshwater molluscs that have laterally compressed bodies enclosed by a shell consisting of two hinged parts. As a group, bival ...
mollusc
Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...
s. The word is often applied only to those that are edible and live as
infauna
Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zoo ...
, spending most of their lives halfway buried in the sand of the seafloor or riverbeds. Clams have two shells of equal size connected by two adductor muscles and have a powerful burrowing foot. They live in both freshwater and marine environments; in
salt water
Saline water (more commonly known as salt water) is water that contains a high concentration of dissolved salts (mainly sodium chloride). On the United States Geological Survey (USGS) salinity scale, saline water is saltier than brackish water, ...
they prefer to burrow down into the mud and the
turbidity
Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality.
Fluids can ...
of the water required varies with species and location; the greatest diversity of these is in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
.
Clams in the culinary sense do not live attached to a substrate (whereas
oyster
Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not al ...
s and
mussel
Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and Freshwater bivalve, freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other ...
s do) and do not live near the bottom (whereas
scallop
Scallop () is a common name that encompasses various species of marine bivalve mollusks in the taxonomic family Pectinidae, the scallops. However, the common name "scallop" is also sometimes applied to species in other closely related families ...
s do). In culinary usage, clams are commonly eaten marine bivalves, as in
clam digging
Clam digging is a North American term for a common way to harvest clams (edible infaunal bivalve mollusks) from below the surface of the tidal sand flats or mud flats where they live. It is done both recreationally (for enjoyment or as a sou ...
and the resulting soup,
clam chowder
Clam chowder is any of several chowder soups in American cuisine containing clams. In addition to clams, common ingredients include diced potatoes, salt pork, and onions. Other vegetables are not typically used. It is believed that clams were us ...
. Many edible clams such as
palourde clams are ovoid or triangular; however,
razor clam Razor clam is a common name for long, narrow, saltwater clams (which resemble a closed straight razor in shape), in the genera ''Ensis'', ''Siliqua'', ''Solecurtus'', and '' Solen'', including:
*Atlantic jackknife clam, ''Ensis directus''
*Razor sh ...
s have an elongated parallel-sided shell, suggesting an old-fashioned straight razor.
Some clams have life cycles of only one year, while at least
one
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
has been aged to over 500 years old. All clams have two calcareous shells or
valves
A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fittings ...
joined near a hinge with a flexible ligament and all are
filter feeder
Filter feeders are a sub-group of suspension feeding animals that feed by straining suspended matter and food particles from water, typically by passing the water over a specialized filtering structure. Some animals that use this method of feedin ...
s.
Anatomy
![LittleNeck clams USDA96c1862](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/LittleNeck_clams_USDA96c1862.jpg)
A clam's shell consists of two (usually equal) valves, which are connected by a hinge joint and a ligament that can be internal or external. The ligament provides tension to bring the valves apart, while one or two adductor muscles can contract to close the valves. Clams also have kidneys, a heart, a mouth, a stomach, and a nervous system. Many have a
siphon
A siphon (from grc, σίφων, síphōn, "pipe, tube", also spelled nonetymologically syphon) is any of a wide variety of devices that involve the flow of liquids through tubes. In a narrower sense, the word refers particularly to a tube in a ...
.
Food source and ecology
![Clams simmering in white wine sauce](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Clams_simmering_in_white_wine_sauce.jpg)
Clams are shellfish that make up an important part of the web of life that keeps the seas functioning, both as filter feeders and as a food source for many different animals. Extant mammals that eat clams would include both the Pacific and Atlantic species of
walrus
The walrus (''Odobenus rosmarus'') is a large pinniped, flippered marine mammal with a discontinuous distribution about the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in ...
, all known subspecies of
harbour seals
The harbor (or harbour) seal (''Phoca vitulina''), also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The most widely distributed species of pinniped (walruses, eared sea ...
in both the Atlantic and Pacific, most species of
sea lion
Sea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear flaps, long foreflippers, the ability to walk on all fours, short and thick hair, and a big chest and belly. Together with the fur seals, they make up the family Otariidae, eared seals. ...
s, including the
California sea lion
The California sea lion (''Zalophus californianus'') is a coastal eared seal native to western North America. It is one of six species of sea lions. Its natural habitat ranges from southeast Alaska to central Mexico, including the Gulf of C ...
,
bearded seal
The bearded seal (''Erignathus barbatus''), also called the square flipper seal, is a medium-sized pinniped that is found in and near to the Arctic Ocean. It gets its generic name from two Greek words (''eri'' and ''gnathos'') that refer to its h ...
s and even species of river otters that will consume the freshwater species found in Asia and North America. Birds of all kinds will also eat clams if they can catch them in the
littoral zone
The littoral zone or nearshore is the part of a sea, lake, or river that is close to the shore. In coastal ecology, the littoral zone includes the intertidal zone extending from the high water mark (which is rarely inundated), to coastal areas ...
:
roseate spoonbills
The roseate spoonbill (''Platalea ajaja'') is a gregarious Wader, wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. It is a resident breeder in both South and North America.
Taxonomy
The roseate spoonbill is sometimes placed in i ...
of North and South America, the
Eurasian oystercatcher
The Eurasian oystercatcher (''Haematopus ostralegus'') also known as the common pied oystercatcher, or palaearctic oystercatcher, or (in Europe) just oystercatcher, is a wader in the oystercatcher bird family Haematopodidae. It is the most widesp ...
,
whooping crane
The whooping crane (''Grus americana'') is the tallest North American bird, named for its whooping sound. It is an endangered crane species. Along with the sandhill crane (''Antigone canadensis''), it is one of only two crane species native to N ...
and
common crane
The common crane (''Grus grus''), also known as the Eurasian crane, is a bird of the family Gruidae, the cranes. A medium-sized species, it is the only crane commonly found in Europe besides the demoiselle crane (''Grus virgo'') and the Siberi ...
, the
American flamingo
The American flamingo (''Phoenicopterus ruber'') is a large species of flamingo closely related to the greater flamingo and Chilean flamingo native to the Neotropics. It was formerly considered conspecific with the greater flamingo, but that trea ...
of Florida and the Caribbean Sea, and the
common sandpiper
The common sandpiper (''Actitis hypoleucos'') is a small Palearctic wader. This bird and its American sister species, the spotted sandpiper (''A. macularia''), make up the genus ''Actitis''. They are parapatric and replace each other geographic ...
are just a handful of the numerous birds that feast on clams all over the world. Most species of
octopus
An octopus ( : octopuses or octopodes, see below for variants) is a soft-bodied, eight- limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttle ...
have clams as a staple of their diet, up to and including the giants like the
Giant Pacific octopus
The giant Pacific octopus (''Enteroctopus dofleini''), also known as the North Pacific giant octopus, is a large marine cephalopod belonging to the genus '' Enteroctopus''. Its spatial distribution includes the coastal North Pacific, along Mexic ...
.
Culinary
Cultures around the world eat clams along with many other types of shellfish.
North America
In culinary use, within the eastern coast of the United States and large swathes of
the Maritimes
The Maritimes, also called the Maritime provinces, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. The Maritimes had a population of 1,899,324 in 2021, which makes up 5.1% of Ca ...
of Canada, the term "clam" most often refers to the
hard clam
The hard clam (''Mercenaria mercenaria''), also known as the round clam, hard-shell (or hard-shelled) clam, or the quahog, is an edible marine bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America from Prince ...
, ''
Mercenaria mercenaria
The hard clam (''Mercenaria mercenaria''), also known as the round clam, hard-shell (or hard-shelled) clam, or the quahog, is an edible marine bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America from Prince E ...
''. It may also refer to a few other common edible species, such as the
soft-shell clam
Soft-shell clams (American English) or sand gaper (British English/Europe), scientific name ''Mya arenaria'', popularly called "steamers", "softshells", "piss clams", "Ipswich clams", or "Essex clams" are a species of edible saltwater clam, a ...
, ''Mya arenaria'', and the ocean quahog, ''
Arctica islandica
The ocean quahog (''Arctica islandica'') is a species of edible clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Arcticidae. This species is native to the North Atlantic Ocean, and it is harvested commercially as a food source. This species is ...
''. Another species commercially exploited on the
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
Coast of the United States is the surf clam, ''
Spisula solidissima
The Atlantic surf clam (''Spisula solidissima''), also called the bar clam, hen clam, skimmer or simply sea clam, is a very large, edible, saltwater clam or marine bivalve mollusk in the family Mactridae. It is commonly found in the western Atl ...
''.
Scallop
Scallop () is a common name that encompasses various species of marine bivalve mollusks in the taxonomic family Pectinidae, the scallops. However, the common name "scallop" is also sometimes applied to species in other closely related families ...
s are also used for food nationwide, but not
cockles: they are more difficult to get than in Europe because of their habit of being farther out in the tide than European species on the West Coast, and on the East Coast they are often found in salt marshes and mudflats where mosquitoes are abundant. There are several edible species in the Eastern United States: ''
Americardia media,'' also known as the strawberry cockle, is found from Cape Hatteras down into the Caribbean Sea and all of Florida; ''
Trachycardium muricatum'' has a similar range to the strawberry cockle; and ''
Dinocardium robustum
''Dinocardium'' is a genus of large saltwater clams or cockles, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Cardiidae, the cockles. There is only one species in the genus, ''Dinocardium robustum'', or the Atlantic giant cockle.
Description
''Dinocard ...
'', which grows to be many times the size of the European cockle. Historically, they were caught on a small scale on the
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separating ...
, barrier islands off North Carolina, and put in soups, steamed or pickled.
Up and down the coast of the Eastern U.S., the
bamboo clam, ''Ensis directus'', is prized by Americans for making
clam strips
Fried clams are clams dipped in milk, floured, and deep-fried.
Fried clams are an iconic food, "to New England, what barbecue is to the South". They tend to be served at seaside clam shacks (roadside restaurants). Clam rolls are fried clams serv ...
, although because of its nature of burrowing into the sand very close to the beach, it cannot be harvested by mechanical means without damaging the beaches. The bamboo clam is also notorious for having a very sharp edge of its shell, and when harvested by hand must be handled with great care.
On the U.S. West Coast, there are several species that have been consumed for thousands of years, evidenced by
midden
A midden (also kitchen midden or shell heap) is an old dump for domestic waste which may consist of animal bone, human excrement, botanical material, mollusc shells, potsherds, lithics (especially debitage), and other artifacts and ecofact ...
s full of clamshells near the shore and their consumption by nations including the
Chumash Chumash may refer to:
*Chumash (Judaism), a Hebrew word for the Pentateuch, used in Judaism
*Chumash people, a Native American people of southern California
*Chumashan languages, indigenous languages of California
See also
* Chumash traditional ...
of California, the
Nisqually of
Washington state
Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...
and the
Tsawwassen
Tsawwassen ( ) is a suburban, mostly residential community on a peninsula in the southwestern corner of the City of Delta in British Columbia, Canada. It provides the only road access to the American territory on the southern tip of the peninsul ...
of
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
. The butter clam, ''
Saxidomus gigantea
''Saxidomus gigantea'' is a large, edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Veneridae, the venus clams. It can be found along the western coast of North America, ranging from the Aleutian Islands to San Francisco Bay. Common ...
'', the Pacific razor clam, ''
Siliqua patula
The Pacific razor clam, ''Siliqua patula'', is a species of large marine bivalve mollusc in the family Pharidae.
Range
Pacific razor clams can be found along the Pacific West Coast of North America from the eastern Aleutian Islands, Alaska ...
,'' gaper clams ''
Tresus capax
''Tresus capax'' is a species of saltwater clam, marine bivalve mollusk, common name the fat gaper, in the family Mactridae. It also shares the common name horse clam with '' Tresus nuttallii'' a species which is similar in morphology and lifes ...
'', the geoduck clam, ''
Panopea generosa
The Pacific geoduck ("gooey-duck"; ; ''Panopea generosa'') is a species of very large saltwater clam in the family Hiatellidae. The common name is derived from the Lushootseed ( Nisqually) word .
The geoduck is native to the coastal waters of t ...
'' and the Pismo clam, ''
Tivela stultorum
''Tivela stultorum'', also known as the Pismo clam, is a species of large, edible, saltwater clam, a marine (ocean), marine bivalve mollusk in the family Veneridae, the Venus clams. This species is native to the eastern Pacific Ocean. As the name ...
'' are all eaten as delicacies.
Clams can be eaten raw, steamed, boiled, baked or
fried. They can also be made into
clam chowder
Clam chowder is any of several chowder soups in American cuisine containing clams. In addition to clams, common ingredients include diced potatoes, salt pork, and onions. Other vegetables are not typically used. It is believed that clams were us ...
,
clams casino,
clam cakes
Clam cakes (also known as clam fritters) are a part of New England cuisine, most commonly found in Rhode Island although they can also be found in Connecticut, Maine, and Massachusetts. They are balls of battered clams which have been deep-fried ...
, or
stuffies, or they can be cooked using hot rocks and seaweed in a
New England clam bake
The clambake or clam bake, also known as the New England clambake, is a traditional method of cooking seafood, such as lobster, mussels, crabs, scallops, soft-shell clams, and quahogs. The food is traditionally cooked by steaming the ingredi ...
. On the West Coast, they are an ingredient in making
cioppino
Cioppino (, ; from lij, cioppin ) is a fish stew originating in San Francisco, California. It is an Italian-American dish and is related to various regional fish soups and stews of Italian cuisine.
Description
Cioppino is traditionally made fro ...
and local variants of
ceviche
Ceviche () is a Peruvian dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in fresh citrus juices, most commonly lime or lemon. It is also spiced with '' ají'', chili peppers or other seasonings, and julienned red onions, salt, and cilantro are al ...
Asia
India
Clams are eaten more in the coastal regions of India, especially in the Konkan,
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
,
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
and coastal regions of
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
,
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
regions.
In
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
clams are used to make curries and fried with coconut. In the
Malabar region
The Malabar Coast is the southwestern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing m ...
it is known as "elambakka" and in middle kerala it is known as "kakka". Clam curry made with coconut is a dish from Malabar especially in the
Thalassery
Thalassery (), formerly Tellicherry, is a municipality, Commercial City on the Malabar Coast in Kannur district, in the state of Kerala, India, bordered by the districts of Mahé (Pondicherry), Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kasaragod and Kodagu (Karna ...
region. On the southwestern coast of
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, also known as the
Konkan
The Konkan ( kok, कोंकण) or Kokan () is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, running from Damaon in the north to Karwar in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau in the east. The hinterland ...
region of
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
, clams are used in curries and side dishes, like Tisaryachi Ekshipi, which is clams with one shell on.
Beary
The Beary (also known as Byari) is a community concentrated along the southwest coast of India, mostly in the Mangalore district of the south Indian state of Karnataka. They are an ethnic group of Indian Muslims with their own distinct cul ...
Muslim households in the
Mangalore
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka–Ker ...
region prepare a main dish with clams called Kowldo Pinde. In
Udupi
Udupi (alternate spelling Udipi; also known as Odipu) is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. Udupi is situated about north of the educational, commercial and industrial hub of Mangalore and about west of state capital Bangalore by road.
...
and
Mangalore
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka–Ker ...
regions it is called "marvai" in the local
Tulu language
Tulu () in Kannada script, ml, തുളു ഭാഷെ in Malayalam script. ''bhāṣe'', , ''bhāśe'', and ''bāśe'' are alternative spellings for the Tulu word ''bāse'' in the Kannada script. The correct spelling for the word ...
. It is used to prepare many dishes like
marvai sukka, marvai gassi, and marvai pundi.
Japan
In Japan, clams are often an ingredient of mixed seafood dishes. They can also be made into
hot pot
Hot pot or hotpot (), also known as soup-food or steamboat, is a cooking method that originated in China. A heat source on the dining table keeps a pot of soup stock simmering, and a variety of Chinese foodstuffs and ingredients are served b ...
,
miso soup
is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a dashi stock into which softened miso paste is mixed. In addition, there are many optional ingredients (various vegetables, tofu, ''abura-age'', etc.) that may be added depending on regional and sea ...
or
tsukudani
is small seafood, meat or seaweed that has been simmered in soy sauce and mirin. As a flavorful accompaniment to plain rice, tsukudani is made salty enough to not go bad, allowing high osmotic pressure to preserve the ingredients from microbial ...
. The more commonly used varieties of clams in Japanese cooking are the Shijimi (''
Corbicula japonica
''Corbicula japonica'' is an edible species of brackishwater clam, a bivalve mollusk in the family Cyrenidae, the basket clams.
The common names of the species include ''Shijimi'' (after its Japanese name), Japanese basket clam, or Japanese bl ...
''), the Asari (''
Venerupis philippinarum
''Lajonkairia lajonkairii'' is an edible species of saltwater clam in the family Veneridae, the Venus clams. MolluscaBase eds. (2022). MolluscaBase. Lajonkairia lajonkairii (Payraudeau, 1826). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at ...
'') and the Hamaguri (''
Meretrix lusoria
''Meretrix lusoria'', the hamaguri, Asian hard clam or common Orient clam, is a species of saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Veneridae, the Venus clams. This species is native to Asia, found along water beds and the coastal ...
'').
Europe
Great Britain
The rocky terrain and pebbly shores of the seacoast that surrounds the entire island provide ample habitat for shellfish, and clams are most definitely included in that description. The oddity here is that for a nation whose fortunes have been tied to the sea for hundreds of years, 70% of the seafood cultivated for aquaculture or commercial harvesting is exported to the Continent. Historically, Britain has been an island most famous for its passion for beef and dairy products, although there is evidence going back to before most recorded history of coastal shell middens near Weymouth and present day York. (There is also evidence of more thriving local trade in sea products in general by noting the
Worshipful Company of Fishmongers
The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers (or Fishmongers' Company) is one of the 110 Livery Companies of the City of London, being an incorporated guild of sellers of fish and seafood in the City. The Company ranks fourth in the order of precede ...
was founded in 1272 in London.) Present-day younger populations are eating more of the catch than a generation ago, and there is a prevalence of YouTube videos of locavore scavenging; however, the numbers have a long way to go before they match the numbers consumed in the Mesolithic, as evidenced by the strikingly large number of shells found in middens.
Staple favourites of the British public and local scavengers include the razorfish, ''
Ensis siliqua
The pod razor (''Ensis siliqua'') is a coastal bivalve of European waters. It is edible and has been fished commercially, especially in Portugal, Spain, Ireland and Scotland.
''Ensis siliqua'' is also known as the razor fish, razor clam or giant ...
'', a slightly smaller cousin of the
bamboo clam of eastern North America. These can be found for sale in open-air markets like Billingsgate Market in London; they have a similar taste to their North American cousin. Cockles, specifically the
common cockle
The common cockle (''Cerastoderma edule'') is a species of edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Cardiidae, the cockles. It is found in waters off Europe, from Iceland in the north, south into waters off western Africa as ...
, are a staple find on beaches in western Wales and farther north in the
Dee Estuary
The Dee Estuary ( cy, Aber Dyfrdwy) is a large estuary by means of which the River Dee flows into Liverpool Bay. The estuary starts near Shotton after a five-mile (8 km) 'canalised' section and the river soon swells to be several miles ...
. The accidentally introduced hard-shell ''mercenaria mercenaria'' is also found in British waters, mainly those near England, and does see some use in British cuisine. The
Palourde clam by far is the most common native clam and it is both commercially harvested as well as locally collected, and ''
Spisula solida
The surf clam (''Spisula solida'') is a medium-sized marine clam, or bivalve mollusc, found in the Eastern Atlantic from Iceland and northern Norway to Portugal and Spain. Up to long, it is like many clams a sediment-burrowing filter feeder. '', a relative of the Atlantic surf clam on the other side of the Atlantic, is seeing increased interest as a food source and aquaculture candidate; it is mainly found in the British Isles in Europe.
Italy
In Italy, clams are often an ingredient of mixed seafood dishes or are eaten together with pasta. The more commonly used varieties of clams in Italian cooking are the ''
vongola'' ''(
Venerupis decussata
''Venerupis decussata'' is a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Veneridae, commonly known as the cross-cut carpet shell.
Taxonomy
The species name ''Venerupis decussata'' (Linnaeus, 1758) is considered valid by the World Register of Marine Spe ...
)'', the ''
cozza'' ''(Mytilus galloprovincialis)'' and the ''
tellina
''Tellina'' is a widely distributed genus of marine (ocean), marine bivalve molluscs, in the family (biology), family Tellinidae.Gofas, S. (2011). Tellina Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespec ...
'' ''(
Donax trunculus)''. Though ''
dattero di mare'' ''(Lithophaga lithophaga)'' was once eaten,
overfishing
Overfishing is the removal of a species of fish (i.e. fishing) from a body of water at a rate greater than that the species can replenish its population naturally (i.e. the overexploitation of the fishery's existing fish stock), resulting in th ...
drove it to the verge of extinction (it takes 15 to 35 years to reach adult size and could only be harvested by smashing the calcarean rocks that form its habitat) and the Italian government has declared it an
endangered species
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...
since 1998 and its harvest and sale are forbidden.
Religion
In
Judaism
Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...
, clams are considered non-
kosher
(also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...
(
treif
(also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), from ...
);
but in
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
, clams are considered
Halal
''Halal'' (; ar, حلال, ) is an Arabic word that translates to "permissible" in English. In the Quran, the word ''halal'' is contrasted with ''haram'' (forbidden). This binary opposition was elaborated into a more complex classification kno ...
. In
Jainism
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current ...
, eating clams is against the principles of ‘
ahinsa
Ahimsa (, IAST: ''ahiṃsā'', ) is the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence which applies to all living beings. It is a key virtue in most Indian religions: Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.Bajpai, Shiva (2011). The History of India – F ...
’ or non-violence, as it is a result of killing (hinsa) a living creature.
As currency
Some species of clams, particularly ''
Mercenaria mercenaria
The hard clam (''Mercenaria mercenaria''), also known as the round clam, hard-shell (or hard-shelled) clam, or the quahog, is an edible marine bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America from Prince E ...
'', were in the past used by the
Algonquians
The Algonquian are one of the most populous and widespread North American native language groups. Historically, the peoples were prominent along the Atlantic Coast and into the interior along the Saint Lawrence River and around the Great Lakes. T ...
of Eastern North America to manufacture
wampum
Wampum is a traditional shell bead of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of Native Americans. It includes white shell beads hand-fashioned from the North Atlantic channeled whelk shell and white and purple beads made from the quahog or Western Nort ...
, a type of sacred
jewellery
Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry (U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a wester ...
; and to make
shell money
Shell money is a medium of trade, exchange similar to coin money and other forms of commodity money, and was once commonly used in many parts of the world. Shell money usually consisted of whole or partial sea shells, often worked into beads or o ...
.
Species
![Sphenoceramus steenstrupi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Sphenoceramus_steenstrupi.jpg)
Edible:
*
Ark clam
Ark clam is the common name for a family of small to large-sized saltwater clams or marine bivalve molluscs in the family Arcidae. Ark clams vary both in shape and size. They number about 200 species worldwide.
The shells of ark clams are of ...
s, family
Arcidae (most popular in
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
and
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
)
*
Atlantic jackknife clam
The Atlantic jackknife clam, ''Ensis leei'', also known as the bamboo clam, American jackknife clam or razor clam, is a large edible marine bivalve mollusc found on the North American Atlantic coast, from Canada to South Carolina. The species ...
: ''
Ensis directus
The Atlantic jackknife clam, ''Ensis leei'', also known as the bamboo clam, American jackknife clam or razor clam, is a large edible Marine (ocean), marine bivalve mollusc found on the North American Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast, from Canada t ...
''
*
Atlantic surf clam
The Atlantic surf clam (''Spisula solidissima''), also called the bar clam, hen clam, skimmer or simply sea clam, is a very large, edible, saltwater clam or marine bivalve mollusk in the family Mactridae. It is commonly found in the western Atla ...
: ''
Spisula solidissima
The Atlantic surf clam (''Spisula solidissima''), also called the bar clam, hen clam, skimmer or simply sea clam, is a very large, edible, saltwater clam or marine bivalve mollusk in the family Mactridae. It is commonly found in the western Atl ...
''
*Common cockle: ''
Cerastoderma edule
The common cockle (''Cerastoderma edule'') is a species of edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Cardiidae, the cockles. It is found in waters off Europe, from Iceland in the north, south into waters off western Africa ...
'' (Native to most of Europe, with very large populations in Ireland and Great Britain)
*Atlantic Giant Cockle: ''
Dinocardium robustum
''Dinocardium'' is a genus of large saltwater clams or cockles, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Cardiidae, the cockles. There is only one species in the genus, ''Dinocardium robustum'', or the Atlantic giant cockle.
Description
''Dinocard ...
''
*
Geoduck
The Pacific geoduck ("gooey-duck"; ; ''Panopea generosa'') is a species of very large saltwater clam in the family Hiatellidae. The common name is derived from the Lushootseed ( Nisqually) word .
The geoduck is native to the coastal waters of t ...
: ''
Panopea abrupta'' or ''
Panope generosa
The Pacific geoduck ("gooey-duck"; ; ''Panopea generosa'') is a species of very large saltwater clam in the family Hiatellidae. The common name is derived from the Lushootseed ( Nisqually) word .
The geoduck is native to the coastal waters of t ...
'' (largest burrowing clam in the world)
*Gould's razor shell, ''
Solen strictus
Gould's razor shell (''Solen strictus'') is a bivalve mollusc of the family Solenidae. It is common in Japan in sandy coastal zones of the western, southern and northeastern coasts, and also in South Korea, China and Taiwan. It lives on the sandy ...
'' (popular in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan)
*
Grooved carpet shell
The grooved carpet shell, or Palourde clam, ''Ruditapes decussatus'', or ''Venerupis decussatus'', is a clam (bivalve mollusc) in the family Veneridae. It is distributed worldwide and due to its ecological and economic interest has been proposed ...
: ''
Ruditapes decussatus
The grooved carpet shell, or Palourde clam, ''Ruditapes decussatus'', or ''Venerupis decussatus'', is a clam ( bivalve mollusc) in the family Veneridae. It is distributed worldwide and due to its ecological and economic interest has been propose ...
''
*
Hard clam
The hard clam (''Mercenaria mercenaria''), also known as the round clam, hard-shell (or hard-shelled) clam, or the quahog, is an edible marine bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America from Prince ...
or Northern Quahog: ''
Mercenaria mercenaria
The hard clam (''Mercenaria mercenaria''), also known as the round clam, hard-shell (or hard-shelled) clam, or the quahog, is an edible marine bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America from Prince E ...
'' (Native to Eastern USA and Maritime Canada'')''
*Lyrate Asiatic hard clam: ''
Meretrix lyrata
''Meretrix lyrata'', the lyrate Asiatic hard clam, also known simply as the hard clam ( vi, Nghêu Bến Tre), is an edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Veneridae, the Venus clams.
This species occurs along the coas ...
''
*Manila clam: ''
Venerupis philippinarum
''Lajonkairia lajonkairii'' is an edible species of saltwater clam in the family Veneridae, the Venus clams. MolluscaBase eds. (2022). MolluscaBase. Lajonkairia lajonkairii (Payraudeau, 1826). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at ...
''
*
Ocean quahog
The ocean quahog (''Arctica islandica'') is a species of edible clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Arcticidae. This species is native to the North Atlantic Ocean, and it is harvested commercially as a food source. This species is ...
: ''
Arctica islandica
The ocean quahog (''Arctica islandica'') is a species of edible clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Arcticidae. This species is native to the North Atlantic Ocean, and it is harvested commercially as a food source. This species is ...
''
*
Pacific razor clam
The Pacific razor clam, ''Siliqua patula'', is a species of large Marine (ocean), marine bivalve mollusc in the family (biology), family Pharidae.
Range
Pacific razor clams can be found along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific West Co ...
: ''
Siliqua patula
The Pacific razor clam, ''Siliqua patula'', is a species of large marine bivalve mollusc in the family Pharidae.
Range
Pacific razor clams can be found along the Pacific West Coast of North America from the eastern Aleutian Islands, Alaska ...
''
*Pipis, ''
Plebidonax deltoides
''Plebidonax deltoides'' or ''Donax deltoides'' is a small, edible saltwater clam or marine bivalve mollusc, endemic to Australia. It belongs to the family of either the Donacidae, or the related Psammobiidae. It is most widely known as th ...
'' and ''
Paphies australis
''Paphies australis'' or pipi (from the Māori language) is a bivalve mollusc of the family Mesodesmatidae, endemic to New Zealand. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Paphies australis (Gmelin, 1791). Accessed through: World Register of Ma ...
''
*Pismo clam: ''
Tivela stultorum
''Tivela stultorum'', also known as the Pismo clam, is a species of large, edible, saltwater clam, a marine (ocean), marine bivalve mollusk in the family Veneridae, the Venus clams. This species is native to the eastern Pacific Ocean. As the name ...
''
*Pod razor clam:
''Ensis siliqua''
*Spoot: ''
Ensis magnus
''Ensis'' is a genus of medium-sized edible saltwater clams, littoral bivalve molluscs in the family Pharidae. ''Ensis'', or razor clams, are known in much of Scotland as spoots, for the spouts of water they eject while burrowing into the sand, ...
''
*Soft clam: ''
Mya arenaria
Soft-shell clams (American English) or sand gaper (British English/Europe), scientific name ''Mya arenaria'', popularly called "steamers", "softshells", "piss clams", "Ipswich clams", or "Essex clams" are a species of edible saltwater clam, a ...
''
Not usually considered edible:
*
Nut clam
Nuculidae is a family of small saltwater clams in the order Nuculida. Species in this family are commonly known as nut clams.
The nomenclature of the Western European species in this family is still uncertain. Their systematics has been based m ...
s or pointed nut clams, family
Nuculidae
Nuculidae is a family of small saltwater clams in the order Nuculida. Species in this family are commonly known as nut clams.
The nomenclature of the Western European species in this family is still uncertain. Their systematics has been based m ...
*
Duck clams or
trough shell
Mactridae, common name the trough shells or duck clams, is a family of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the order Venerida.
Description
These clams have two short siphons, each with a horny sheath. The shell is shaped like a rounded- ...
s, family
Mactridae
Mactridae, common name the trough shells or duck clams, is a family of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the order Venerida.
Description
These clams have two short siphons, each with a horny sheath. The shell is shaped like a rounded- ...
*Marsh clams, family
Corbiculidae
The Corbiculidae are a family of clams in the mollusc order Venerida. They are known commonly as basket clams. The family name comes from the root ''corbus'' ("basket"), and was inspired by the concentric ribbing of the shells.Glaubrecht, M., et ...
*File clams, family
Limidae
The Limidae or file shells are members of the only family of bivalve molluscs in the order Limida. The family includes 130 living species, assigned to 10 genera. Widely distributed in all seas from shallow to deep waters, the species are usua ...
*
Giant clam
The giant clams are the members of the clam genus ''Tridacna'' that are the largest living bivalve mollusks. There are actually several species of "giant clams" in the genus ''Tridacna'', which are often misidentified for ''Tridacna gigas'', th ...
: ''
Tridacna gigas
The giant clams are the members of the clam genus ''Tridacna'' that are the largest living bivalve mollusks. There are actually several species of "giant clams" in the genus ''Tridacna'', which are often misidentified for ''Tridacna gigas'', th ...
'' This clam is native to East Asia and is edible, but should be avoided at all costs because of slow reproduction.
*
Asian or Asiatic clam: genus ''
Corbicula
''Corbicula'' is a genus of freshwater and brackish water clams, Aquatic animal, aquatic bivalve mollusks in the family Cyrenidae, the basket clams.Gofas, S. (2015). Cyrenidae Gray, 1847. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Registe ...
''
*
Peppery furrow shell
''Scrobicularia plana'', the peppery furrow shell, is a bivalve mollusc belonging to the family Semelidae.
Taxonomy
Although ''Scrobicularia plana'' is the only species currently recognized by ITIS in the genus ''Scrobicularia''; World Regist ...
: ''
Scrobicularia plana
''Scrobicularia plana'', the peppery furrow shell, is a bivalve mollusc belonging to the family Semelidae.
Taxonomy
Although ''Scrobicularia plana'' is the only species currently recognized by ITIS in the genus ''Scrobicularia''; World Regist ...
''
See also
*
* – dishes and foods prepared using clams
*
*
*
References
External links
"Deep In The Ocean A Clam That Acts Like A Plant"Science Daily
''Science Daily'' is an American website launched in 1995 that aggregates press releases and publishes lightly edited press releases (a practice called churnalism) about science, similar to Phys.org and EurekAlert!.
The site was founded by mar ...
March 2, 2007
Hardshell Clams
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Mollusc common names
Mollusc products