| Atlantic surf clam | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A 15 cm adult shell ofSpisula solidissima fromLong Beach, Long Island. Right valve at the top, left valve at the bottom. | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Order: | Venerida |
| Family: | Mactridae |
| Subfamily: | Mactrinae |
| Genus: | Spisula |
| Species: | S. solidissima |
| Binomial name | |
| Spisula solidissima (Dillwyn, 1817) | |
TheAtlantic surf clam (Spisula solidissima), also called thebar clam,hen clam,skimmer or simplysea clam, is a very large, edible, saltwater clam ormarinebivalvemollusk in the familyMactridae. It is one of the most commonly found species of bivalves in the westernAtlantic Ocean.[1] Able to reach sizes between 7.9 and 8.9 inches (20 and 23 cm) in length, Atlantic surf clams are much larger thanSpisula solida, which also resides in the eastern Atlantic coastal waters. Atlantic surf clams reproduce in late summer, when the water temperatures peak.
The shell of this species is a well-known object to beach-goers in the northeasternUnited States. People on the beach often pick up a large empty shell of this species, either to dig in the sand with, or take home to use as a decorative dish orashtray.[2]
The species is exported commercially as a food item.
This common species occurs off the east coast of North America fromNew-Brunswick toSouth Carolina.[3]
Atlantic surf clams live buried in coarse or fine sand. They live offshore as well as in the lowintertidal andsurf zones.
Surf clams can take as little as three months to reach maturity off theNew Jersey coast, or as long as four years offNova Scotia, and can reach an age of 35 years.[4]
The shells of surf clams show growth rings and can demonstrate changes in the environment of the individual. The shells are formed by calcification, as the clam deposits calcium carbonate into the shell via either diet ormetabolism. Pausing of growth due to internal or external factors appear marked by dark lines of growth on the shell. Younger clams have a faster growth rate than older clams.[5] They can reach sizes of up to 8.9 inches (23 cm), though sizes larger than 7.9 inches (20 cm) are rare.[4]
These clams use theirsiphons to pull in and then filter fine particles of organic matter andplankton from the surrounding seawater. Like almost all clams, they arefilter feeders.
Predators of the Atlantic surf clam include snails, fish (including cod), crabs, and sea stars.[5]
Atlantic surf clams reproduce primarily in late summer (August–October), when the water temperatures are around their highest.[1] Reproduction occurs viaexternal fertilization. The sex cells are released via the passage of water through the clam, the same path taken for respiration and digestion.[6] There are five described stages of development of the sexual organs of both male and female surf clams: early active phase, late active phase, ripe, partially spawned, and spent, with ripe phase being the main phase during which clams reproduce.[6]
This species is a commercially exploited species, long prized for its sweet flavor. This species is typically harvested from fishing vessels known asdredgers, which use a specializedfishing dredge equipped with high-power hydraulic jets designed tofluidize the sea floor so as to loosen clams from the sediments before it scoops them up.[8]
About two-thirds of a surf clam's shucked weight is viable for human consumption.[9] The meat of the clam is used as 'strips',chowder, andsushi.
The "tongue" or foot of the clam is commercially valuable because it is cut into long strips which are breaded and fried and served asclam strips, first popularized by theHoward Johnson's franchise.[10]
The meat that is left over is separated from the "belly" and is referred to as "salvage" within the clam industry. This meat includes theadductor muscles, which are the strong muscles that close the two halves of the shell and which tightly hold the clam's shell in the shut position. "Salvage" is typically ground up for use in chowders, sauces, and dips, and is commercially available either in cans or frozen. Locally it is available fresh. The substantial "belly" of the clam is used by some fishermen as bait forstriped bass and other species.
Commercialmollusks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Marinegastropods |  | |
| Land and freshwater gastropods | ||
| Free-swimming marinebivalves | ||
| Infaunal bivalves | ||
| Sessile bivalves | ||
| Freshwater bivalves | ||
| Cephalopods | ||
| Techniques | ||