Quahog Clam

Mercenaria mercenaria

Quahog clams are shellfish that live in the sandy bottoms of coastal waters. They have hard shells that protect their soft bodies inside.

Habitat: Coastal areas

Appearance

The Quahog Clam has a thick, hard shell, typically oval or heart-shaped, with prominent concentric growth rings. Its exterior is usually dull grey or off-white, sometimes with lighter bands, while the interior can reveal a striking purple.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumMolluscaClassBivalviaOrderVeneridaFamilyVeneridaeGenusMercenaria

Quahog Clam

Interesting facts

Its strong foot helps it dig deep into the seabed, making a cozy home!

The clam's shell grows bigger by adding new layers from the inside out!

They don't have eyes, but can still sense light and dark in their watery world!

You can tell a quahog's age by counting its growth rings, just like a tree!

Special abilities

Quahog Clam can clean vast amounts of water by filter-feeding, using its siphons to draw in tiny food particles.

Quahog Clam has an incredibly long lifespan, potentially living over 500 years, making it one of Earth's oldest animals.

Quahog Clam can quickly bury itself into the sand or mud using its muscular foot, hiding from hungry predators.

Measurements & details

Max Weight: 1 kg
Max Lifespan: 507 years
Max Shell Length: 15 cm

Diet & Feeding

Tiny ocean bits are a quahog's favorite meal, filtered from the water.

Primary Foods

phytoplankton
zooplankton
detritus
suspended organic matter

Foraging Method

Filter Feeding

Ecological connections

eaten by

Green Crab

Carcinus maenas

Crabs use strong claws to crush quahog shells.

eaten by

Red Porgy

Pagrus pagrus

Fish with strong jaws can feed on buried clams.

eaten by

Forbes Sea Star

Asterias forbesi

Sea stars pry open shells with their powerful arms.

eaten by

American Oystercatcher

Haematopus palliatus

Birds use their strong bills to open clam shells.

Traits

Ancient

Look for fascinating things that have been around for a very, very long time! These can be old trees, rocks, or even amazing fossils that tell stories from the past.

Longevous

Marvel at organisms that have an incredible capacity to live for a very, very long time, sometimes spanning centuries or even millennia. They are the elders of the natural world!

Fossil

Discover amazing clues about ancient life preserved in rocks! Fossils are like nature's time capsules, showing us creatures and plants from millions of years ago.

Natural

These are wonderful things that come straight from the Earth, shaped by wind, water, and sun! Everything from towering trees to tiny pebbles is part of our natural world.