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Species
Mya arenaria Linnaeus, 1758
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Biology/Natural History: This clam has been introduced from the Atlantic, being first seen in San Francisco Bay in 1874. It slowly spread north, and reached Alaska in the 1950's. By the 1920's it seems to have largely displaced the native clams in San Francisco Bay. This clam has long siphons, and can be 20-35 cm below the surface. It can live anaerobically for several days, and dissolves the shell to buffer acidity in these conditions. In San Francisco Bay its optimal intertidal depth is 30 cm above zero tide line. The siphons appear as slits at the surface of the mud, and emit a spurt of water as they contract if one steps near them. This clam burrows only slowly, without using the foot much. Burrowing is by closing the valves and forcefully ejecting water. Predators include skates, rays, and sharks. Predators in Europe include oystercatchers and curlews, from which the clams have a refuge in depth if over 15 cm deep. May contain pea crab symbionts. Mature at about 2-4.5 cm, and spawn in spring or summer. This species is highly esteemed for food.
Canada
Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked
United States
Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked
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Circumboreal, not reaching the Mediterranean
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Source | http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=140430 |
Rounded Global Status Rank: GNR - Not Yet Ranked
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Labrador to off Georgia; Western Europe
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Rights holder/Author | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License |
Source | http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=140430 |
Soft-shell clams (American English) or sand gaper (British English/Europe), scientific name Mya arenaria, popularly called "steamers", "softshells", "longnecks", "piss clams", "Ipswich clams", or "Essex clams" are a species of edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Myidae.
Contents
Habitat and distribution[edit]
These clams live buried in the mud on tidal mudflats. They are well known as a food item on the coast of New England in the Western Atlantic Ocean, however the range extends much farther north to Canada and south to the Southern states. They are also found in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, for example in the UK, as well as in the North Sea's Wadden Sea (where they are the dominant large clam).
This species has become an invasive on the Pacific Coast of North America, including Alaska, Canada and the continental USA.[1]M. arenaria originated in the Pacific Ocean during the Miocene. It extended its range in the early Pliocene to the Atlantic, including European waters. The Pacific and European populations went extinct some time in the early Pleistocene, leaving only the Northwest Atlantic population, which subsequently spread via humans to its current distribution.[2][3] It also occurs in the Mediterranean Sea.[4]
Physiology[edit]
Mya arenaria has a calcium carbonate shell, which is very thin and easily broken, hence the name "soft-shells" (as opposed to its beach-dwelling neighbors, the thick-shelled quahog).
This clam is found living approximately 6–10 in (15–25 cm) under the surface of the mud. It extends its paired siphons up to the surface; these are used to draw in seawater that is filtered for food and expelled. The holes in the mud through which the water is drawn in and out can often be seen at low tide. Water may be visibly ejected from the siphon tips when pressure is applied to the surrounding mud. This makes the clams easier to locate when humans are hunting for them while clam digging.
Predators[edit]
As well as falling prey to humans, this clam is apparently relished by sea otters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, where the clam is an invasive species (see image above). In New England the Soft-shell clam is preyed heavily upon by invasive Northern moon snails and green crabs. They are also a favorite of sea gulls, which pull the clam from the sand, climb to about 15–20 ft (5–6 m), and then drop the clam on a hard surface, breaking the shell. They then dive down quickly to eat the soft parts of the clam before others can get to it.
Cooking[edit]
Soft-shell clams are edible and can be used in a variety of dishes. Before cooking, it is generally recommended that clams be stored in saltwater for a few hours to facilitate the expulsion of sand from their digestive tracts. Some recommend that cornmeal be added to the water to give the clams something to filter from it.
Soft-shell clams can be eaten steamed, fried, or in clam chowder. "Steamers" (steamed soft-shell clams) are an integral part of the New England clam bake, where they are served steamed whole in the shell, then pulled from the shell at the table, the neck skin is removed and then while holding the clam by the neck it is dipped, first in the clam broth in which they were cooked, to rinse away remaining sand, and then very briefly in melted butter.
Scientific literature[edit]
- Gallant, D., A. Poulin, & E. Tremblay (2006). Évaluation statistique et optimisation du programme de monitoring de la mye commune (Mya arenaria) au parc national du Canada Kouchibouguac. Parcs Canada – Rapports techniques en matière de sciences des écosystèmes, 045, ix + 67p. (in French with English abstract; ISBN 0-662-71418-0, ISSN 1200-3298)
References[edit]
- ^ Powers, Sean; Bishop, Mary Anne; Grabowski, Jonathan & Peterson, Charles (April 2006), "Distribution of the invasive bivalve Mya arenaria L. on intertidal flats of southcentral Alaska", Journal of Sea Research (Elsevier B.V.) 55 (3): 207–216, doi:10.1016/j.seares.2005.10.004
- ^ Strasser, M (1999), "Mya arenaria — an ancient invader of the North Sea coast", Helgolaender Meeresuntersuchungen 52: 309–324, doi:10.1007/BF02908905
- ^ Petersen, KS; Rasmussen, KL; Heinemeler, J; Rud, N (1992), "Clams before Columbus?", Nature 359 (6397): 679, doi:10.1038/359679a0
- ^ Crocetta & Turolla (2011), "Mya arenaria Linné, 1758 (Mollusca: Bivalvia) in the Mediterranean: its distribution revisited", Journal of Biological Research 16: 188–193
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License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Wikipedia |
Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Soft-shell_clam&oldid=598330020 |
Canada
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Year-round
United States
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Year-round
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Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Mya+arenaria |
The adults must be kept in clean aquaria and occasionally allowed to lie exposed. Foul water and continuous submergence are unfavorable (Kellogg, 1899).
- Just, E. E., 1939. Basic Methods for Experiments on Eggs of Marine Animals. P. Blakiston's Son & Co., Inc., Philadelphia.
- Loosanoff, V. L., 1954. New advances in the study of bivalve larvae. Amer. Sci., 42: 607-624.
- Ayers, J. C., 1956. Population dynamics of the marine clam, Mya arenaria. Limn. and Oceanog., 1: 26-34.
- Battle, H. I., 1932. Rhythmic sexual maturity and spawning of certain bivalve mollusks. Contr. Canadian Biol. and Fish., 7: 255-276.
- Belding, D. L., 1915. A report upon the clam fishery. 50th Ann. Rep., Comm. Fish and Game, Massachusetts, pp. 93-234.
- Bumpus, H. C., 1898. The breeding habits of animals at Woods Holl during the months of June, July and August. Science, 8: 850-858.
- Kellogg, J. L., 1899. Special report on the life-history of the common clam, Mya arenaria. 29th Ann. Rep., Comm. Inland Fish., Rhode Island, 1898, pp. 78-95.
- Mead, A. D., 1900. Observations on the soft-shell clam. 30th Ann. Rep., Comm. Inland Fish., Rhode Island 1899, pp. 20-42.
- Mead, A. D., 1901. Observations on the soft-shell clam. 31st Ann. Rep., Comm. Inland Fish., Rhode Island, 1900, pp. 21-44.
- Mead, A. D., 1902. Observations on the soft-shell clam. 32nd Ann. Rep., Comm. Inland Fish., Rhode Island, 1901, pp. 20-33.
- Mead, A. D., and E. W. Barnes, 1903. Observations on the soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria). 33rd Ann. Rep., Comm. Inland Fish., Rhode Island, 1902, pp. 29-48.
- Mead, A. D., and E. W. Barnes, 1904. Observations on the soft-shell clam. 34th Ann. Rep., Comm. Inland Fish., Rhode Island, 1903, pp. 29-68.
- Nelson, T. C., 1928. On the distribution of critical temperatures for spawning and for ciliary activity in bivalve molluscs. Science, 67: 220-221.
- Prytherch, H. F., 1937. The cultivation of lamellibranch larvae. In: Culture Methods for Invertebrate Animals, edit. by Galtsoff et al., Comstock, Ithaca, pp. 539-543.
- Stafford, J., 1901. The clam fishery of Passamaquoddy Bay. Contr. Canadian Biol., 1901, pp. 19-40.
- Stafford, J., 1909. On the recognition of bivalve larvae in plankton collections. Contr. Canadian Biol., 1906-1910, pp. 221-242.
- Sullivan, C. M., 1948. Bivalve larvae of Malpeque Bay, P. E. I. Bull. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada, no. 77, pp. 1-36.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Costello, D.P., C. Henley, Datasets |
Source | http://hermes.mbl.edu/BiologicalBulletin/EGGCOMP/pages/33.html |
Geographical Range: Norton Sound, AK to Elkhorn Slough, Monterey, CA; Japan, Kamchatka, North Atlantic, North and Baltic Seas
As the trochophore forms, the body becomes elongated and the cilia become confined to the anterior part of the body. A primitive mouth is present, and opposite it the shell gland develops. The 24-hour larva is a typical lamellibranch veliger with a transparent, bivalved, hinged shell, an apical flagellum, and a round, ciliated velum. In the older veliger, the velum degenerates and is replaced by the foot as an organ of locomotion. Mantle, gills heart and a pair of otocysts develop prior to metamorphosis. Figures of the older larvae and fixation stages may be found in papers by Kellogg (1899), Mead (1900) and Stafford (1909).
- Just, E. E., 1939. Basic Methods for Experiments on Eggs of Marine Animals. P. Blakiston's Son & Co., Inc., Philadelphia.
- Loosanoff, V. L., 1954. New advances in the study of bivalve larvae. Amer. Sci., 42: 607-624.
- Ayers, J. C., 1956. Population dynamics of the marine clam, Mya arenaria. Limn. and Oceanog., 1: 26-34.
- Battle, H. I., 1932. Rhythmic sexual maturity and spawning of certain bivalve mollusks. Contr. Canadian Biol. and Fish., 7: 255-276.
- Belding, D. L., 1915. A report upon the clam fishery. 50th Ann. Rep., Comm. Fish and Game, Massachusetts, pp. 93-234.
- Bumpus, H. C., 1898. The breeding habits of animals at Woods Holl during the months of June, July and August. Science, 8: 850-858.
- Kellogg, J. L., 1899. Special report on the life-history of the common clam, Mya arenaria. 29th Ann. Rep., Comm. Inland Fish., Rhode Island, 1898, pp. 78-95.
- Mead, A. D., 1900. Observations on the soft-shell clam. 30th Ann. Rep., Comm. Inland Fish., Rhode Island 1899, pp. 20-42.
- Mead, A. D., 1901. Observations on the soft-shell clam. 31st Ann. Rep., Comm. Inland Fish., Rhode Island, 1900, pp. 21-44.
- Mead, A. D., 1902. Observations on the soft-shell clam. 32nd Ann. Rep., Comm. Inland Fish., Rhode Island, 1901, pp. 20-33.
- Mead, A. D., and E. W. Barnes, 1903. Observations on the soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria). 33rd Ann. Rep., Comm. Inland Fish., Rhode Island, 1902, pp. 29-48.
- Mead, A. D., and E. W. Barnes, 1904. Observations on the soft-shell clam. 34th Ann. Rep., Comm. Inland Fish., Rhode Island, 1903, pp. 29-68.
- Nelson, T. C., 1928. On the distribution of critical temperatures for spawning and for ciliary activity in bivalve molluscs. Science, 67: 220-221.
- Prytherch, H. F., 1937. The cultivation of lamellibranch larvae. In: Culture Methods for Invertebrate Animals, edit. by Galtsoff et al., Comstock, Ithaca, pp. 539-543.
- Stafford, J., 1901. The clam fishery of Passamaquoddy Bay. Contr. Canadian Biol., 1901, pp. 19-40.
- Stafford, J., 1909. On the recognition of bivalve larvae in plankton collections. Contr. Canadian Biol., 1906-1910, pp. 221-242.
- Sullivan, C. M., 1948. Bivalve larvae of Malpeque Bay, P. E. I. Bull. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada, no. 77, pp. 1-36.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Costello, D.P., C. Henley, Datasets |
Source | http://hermes.mbl.edu/BiologicalBulletin/EGGCOMP/pages/33.html |