Taxonomy
- Order: Ostreoida
- Family: Anomiidae
- Genus: Anomia
- Species: simplex
| Hard clam | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Order: | Venerida |
When to buy clams?
Related To:
- Atlantic hard-shell clams. Large ones, called chowder clams, are tough and good for dishes like chowders and stews which tenderize them.
- Razor clams. They are delicious when steamed. Manila clams, a hard-shelled clam found in the Pacific, can be eaten raw or steamed.
- Soft-shell clams. They are eaten steamed. ...
How do you purchase clams?
Things to Bear in Mind When Buying Clams, Oysters, or Mussels
- In their raw state, these bivalves should feel heavy for their size.
- Like all seafood, these should smell of the ocean — briny and sweet, like seaweed — and not off-putting or "fishy" in any way.
- If shellfish are prepackaged in mesh bags, ask to open up the bag to get a better look, as it's tougher to tell the condition of the shells when bagged.
Where can you buy fresh clams?
The process is essential for wild clams and not-always-necessary-but-I-do-it-anyway for farmed. The majority of clams you’ll buy at the in the grocery store at the seafood counter or the seafood market are either cultivated in an environment that doesn’t produce a lot of sediment, or have been pre-purged before being sold.
Where to buy clams cheap?
Fulton Fish Market offers the freshest, seasonal varieties of clams to be delivered to you within two days. No need to brave the seafood market or scour the grocery store for half-decent frozen options.
What family is a clam in?
VeneridaeMany of the most important edible species are commonly known (in the USA) simply as "clams". Venerids make up a significant proportion of the world fishery of edible bivalves....VeneridaeSuperfamily:VeneroideaFamily:Veneridae Rafinesque, 1815GeneraSee text7 more rows
What Kingdom is a clam in?
Taxonomic Classification: Bivalves belong to the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Mollusca, Class Bivalvia.
What genus do clams belong to?
Data Quality Indicators:OrderVeneroida H. Adams and A. Adams, 1856SuperfamilyCorbiculoidea J. E. Gray, 1847FamilyCorbiculidae Gray, 1847GenusCorbicula Megerle von Mühlfeld, 1811SpeciesCorbicula fluminea (O. F. Müller, 1774) – Asian clam9 more rows
What is the phylum of a clam?
phylum MolluscaThe phylum Mollusca is the second-largest animal phylum, with over 100,000 species. The molluscs include many familiar animals, including clams, snails, slugs, and squid, as well as some less familiar animals, like tusk shells and chitons (Fig.
Is a clam a fish?
Despite the name, shellfish are not fish. Most shellfish are low on the food chain and eat a diet composed primarily of phytoplankton and zooplankton.
What is the domain of a clam?
domain eukarya - kingdom animalia - phylum mollusca.
What are the 5 Mollusca classes?
Phylum Mollusca is a very diverse (85,000 species ) group of mostly marine species, with a dramatic variety of form. This phylum can be segregated into seven classes: Aplacophora, Monoplacophora, Polyplacophora, Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Cephalopoda, and Scaphopoda.
Are clams a mollusk?
Bivalve mollusks (e.g., clams, oysters, mussels, scallops) have an external covering that is a two-part hinged shell that contains a soft-bodied invertebrate. A roughfile clam from the Flower Garden Bank National Marine Sanctuary—just one of many different bivalve mollusk species.
Is a clam a shellfish?
Types of shellfish Mollusks include squid, snails, clams, oysters and scallops.
Is a clam a snail?
Not us. Clams, snails, slugs, mussels, oysters, and clams are all considered to be mollusks. Squid and octopi are also mollusks but we put them on a different page because they are very cool and actually somewhat intelligent. Clams are not known for their intelligence.
Are clams cephalopods?
Clams, Snails, and Squid: Phylum Mollusca, Class Cephalopoda.
Which group of animals do clams and oysters belong?
Oysters and clams are invertebrates (animals without backbones). They have shells and belong to a group of animals called bivalves. This means that their shells are divided into two parts, or valves.
Is a clam a shell?
Soft shell clams have two shells so they are known as bivalve mollusks. The shells are held together with a hinge. Other bivalves are scallops, oysters, mussels and the hard shell clam or quahog. It's hard to believe but there are some shellfish which have no outside shells.
How do clams reproduce?
Some species are hermaphrodites (which have both female and male reproductive systems). Male clams produce sperm and release it into the water, while females produce eggs that are retained internally. The sperm get drawn into the female bivalve through her siphons, and fertilization occurs.
What is the oldest part of the clam shell?
the umboLocate the umbo, the bump at the anterior end of the valve. This is the oldest part of the clam shell.
What is the mantle of a clam and give its function?
The mantle is muscular, and many species have modified it to use for siphoning water for feeding and propulsion. In mollusks that have shells, such as clams, mussels, and snails, the mantle is what secretes calcium carbonate and a matrix to form the mollusk's shell.
Can clams walk?
Giant clams, in fact have the ability to 'walk' throughout their life. They have two main types of movement (Huang et al. 2007): Rotation movement...
How do clams move through sand?
Braced in the sand, the clam thrusts its fleshy foot downward. “Then it squeezes water into the bottom of its foot, causing the appendage to balloo...
How do clams eat and move?
Clams obtain their food by filtering water through an intake siphon and an exhalation siphon in their bodies. Food passing through their gills is t...
How do clams and oysters move?
An Oyster's Method of Travel While on the bottom of the ocean, they begin to move or travel as do most mollusks: by foot. This foot is released in...
How do giant clams move?
Since giant clams cannot move themselves, they adopt broadcast spawning, releasing sperm and eggs into the water. A transmitter substance called sp...
What are the different types of clams?
A Pacific coast clam of the genus Saxidomus, Washington clams are also known as butter clams for their melty mouthfeel. They are commonly steamed or grilled. There are two types: 1 Northern Washington clams ( S. giganteus) can be found from Alaska to San Francisco and are up to four inches in diameter. 2 Southern Washington clams ( S. nuttalli) are larger (up to seven inches) and have purple markings inside their shells. Confusingly, these clams are not found in Washington at all: They are harvested from Humboldt Bay in Northern California to Baja California in Mexico.
How many types of clams are there?
There are about 150 edible types of clams, but only a handful of them are commonly available commercially. 1. Hard Clams. Hard clams, also known as quahogs (a word that comes from the Narragansett word poquauhock ), include two main varieties: Northern quahogs ( Mercenaria mercenaria ), also known as Atlantic hard-shell clams, ...
How long do clams grow?
Soft-shell clams have long siphons and grayish-white, oval-shaped shells that are usually one and a half to three inches long—but can grow up to six inches long. Their thin, brittle shells gape open, which can make them sandy, so you need to purge them before cooking.
What is the difference between a Northern Washington clam and a Southern Washington clam?
giganteus) can be found from Alaska to San Francisco and are up to four inches in diameter. Southern Washington clams ( S. nuttalli) are larger (up to seven inches) and have purple markings inside their shells.
What is the name of the clam that has a long protruding shell?
Clams in the Solenidae family, of the genera Ensis and Solen, are razor clams. Their shells are brittle and gape open. There are two common types of razor clams. Pacific razor clams ( Siliqua patula) aka northern razor clam, are oval in shape and have a long, protruding siphon.
What is a soft shell clam?
4. Soft-Shell Clams. Also known as steamers or longneck clams, soft-shell clams ( Mya arenaria) are iconic in New England but live on both sides of the North Atlantic and on the Pacific coast. They are also known as Ipswich clams because Ipswich, Massachusetts, is a major processing center for soft-shell clams.
Where do Manila clams come from?
Manila clams ( Venerupis philippinarum or Ruditapes philippinarum) are a type of small, sweet hard-shell clam found in the Pacific ocean. On the West Coast of the United States, they’re known as steamer clams. They’re best eaten raw, steamed, or in pasta. They have a less briny flavor than other types of clams. 7.
Where does the word "clam" come from?
According to Jay Jacob’s exhaustive book on the origin of food words, The Eaten Word, the word "clam" comes from an old form of "clamp," which, when used in its full form—the name "clamshell" ("clampshell")—describes how tightly the mollusk shuts. That, unfortunately, is about as close as we can get to defining what a clam is or isn't.
What is the name of the clam that is the smallest to largest?
From smallest to largest, generally, countneck, littleneck, topneck, cherrystone, and chowder all describe different widths of the clam—and the word "quahog" itself is sometimes used specifically to describe chowder clams.
How to keep clams from gritting?
If you forage the clams yourself, you want to purge them by scrubbing them and then soaking them in clean, sand-free seawater for about half an hour. This will help keep your clam dishes grit-free. While most fishmongers will purge clams for sale, purging them again in salted water to make sure will save you the extraordinary terrible-ness of biting into a gritty clam. Once purged, or if you choose to take a chance and trust your fishmonger’s purging abilities, cover them in a wet towel in your fridge and try to eat them as soon as possible, as they deteriorate rapidly after harvest.
How big are clams on the grill?
At about two and a half inches wide, these grill up nicely and work for pasta sauces, while still being palatable served raw on the half-shell (the bigger clams get, the more people tend to shy away from eating them raw), but they are also the perfect size for stuffing and broiling.
Where do cockles come from?
But commercial cockles tend to be rare in the US: Though they grow up and down the West Coast, in New England, and on the Gulf of Mexico, you’re more likely to see a canned, imported version from Spain or farmed New Zealand cockles in a grocery store than fresh ones from our shores.
Where do Pacific razor clams grow?
Pacific Razor. The meaty Pacific razor clam grows all along the entire West Coast, even up to Alaska, providing ample supply for the booming export industry, enthusiastic recreational diggers, and a small domestic commercial harvest.
Do clams cost too much?
The abundance of clams in this country means that most clams don’t cost too many clams , as it were, making them a quintessentially American food that is as affordable as it is accessible. But we here in the US do miss out on a few international species. The FDA bans importation of blood clams from Southeast Asia, as their low-oxygen environments can make them carriers of diseases like hepatitis and typhoid. (They can occasionally be found in New England, though, and can be imported from Mexico.) Shijimi, a brackishwater Japanese clam thought to be a hangover cure and often used in miso soup, is classified as an invasive species in the US and is rarely found other than in packaged miso soups or frozen.
What is the name of the hard shell clam?
Ocean: Atlantic. The quintessential American hard-shell clam, quahogs are the clam most people think of when they think of clam chowder, clam strips, baked clams, spaghetti with clam sauce, etc. When in doubt, choose quahogs. Quahogs are graded by size, with the different grades having different traditional names: Name.
What is steamer clam?
Steamer clams are an East Coast variety with softer shells and small, chewy necks. They never completely close, leaving room for the neck to protrude from the shell. Their flavor is sweeter and creamier than most other clam varieties.
What is the difference between Pacific razor clams and Atlantic razor clams?
When compared to Atlantic Razor Clams, the larger Pacific razor clam looks more like a stretched/elongated regular clam. They have tougher neck portions and more tender belly portions, somewhat akin to Atlantic Steamer Clams.
What is mahogany clam?
Mahogany clams cook similarly to the smaller quahogs. Their more pronounced flavor allows them to stand out in dishes with strong ingredients like bell peppers and tomatoes. Consider using them in Manhattan-style clam chowder, cioppino, and similar dishes.
How do razor clams get their name?
One of the rarer clam varieties, razor clams get their name from their long, thin shape that resembles a straight razor. In the US you can find both Atlantic and Pacific varieties of razor clam (there are also additional types in Europe). Atlantic razor clams are straighter, thinner, and more highly prized than Pacific razor clams. They dig quickly when threatened and can be very hard to catch – thus expensive and hard to find commercially.
Where did Manila clams originate?
Originally Japanese in origin, manila clams were accidently introduced to the American west coast during the seeding of Japanese oyster varieties. They are a hard-shell variety with ridges and are prized for their cleaner, sweeter flavor.
Is a geoduck a soft shell clam?
Because their shells don’t close completely or encompass the entire clam, geoducks are considered a soft shell clam. Like Atlantic steamer clams, geoduck clams have two types of meat: siphon & body.
What Are Clams?
Clams are part of the bivalve family. Being bivalve means that they have shells with two hinges. They are found in both saltwater and freshwater. The clams that people eat come from saltwater. You do not often eat freshwater clams.
What are the different types of clams?
Different Types of Clams. Hard Shell Clams . Hard shell clams have a short siphon, which is the part of the clam that filters through the seawater to allow them to feed. They like to bury themselves in the sand that is shallow. These types of clams are often farmed clams.
What is the smallest clam?
When you describe clams by size, you are referring to the width of the clam. Littleneck. Littleneck clams are the smallest of the quahogs. A Littleneck clam is the ideal clam for clams on the half shell, which are usually raw. These clams measure a little more than one inch across, which is measured at the hinge.
What is a littleneck clam?
Littleneck clams are the smallest of the quahogs. A Littleneck clam is the ideal clam for clams on the half shell , which are usually raw. These clams measure a little more than one inch across, which is measured at the hinge.
What is a cherrystone clam?
A Cherrystone clam is a popular type of clam. The Cherrystones are a little bigger than Middlenecks. Therefore, they are ideal for use in a pasta sauce or grilled. Cherrystone clams are about two and a half inches in size.
Why are clams darker?
The acidity in the mud changes the color of the shell of a soft shell clam. The darker shells indicate the clams have more flavor. In addition, these clams have larger siphons. These siphons prevent the clamshell from closing completely, making it important to remove all grit before you cook them.
What is a hen clam?
The Atlantic Surf clam is also referred to as a hen clam. The shells on the surf clam is triangular shaped and pale in color. They usually are not sold in their shell. They are large and difficult to open, so they are mostly sold in cans or in frozen form.
Overview
Species
Edible:
• Ark clams, family Arcidae (most popular in Indonesia and Singapore)
• Atlantic jackknife clam: Ensis directus
• Atlantic surf clam: Spisula solidissima
Anatomy
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.
Food source and ecology
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, all known subspecies of harbour seals in both the Atlantic and Pacific, most species of sea lions, including the Californi…
Culinary
Cultures around the world eat clams along with many other types of shellfish.
In culinary use, within the eastern coast of the United States and large swathes of the Maritimes of Canada, the term "clam" most often refers to the hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria. It may also refer to a few other common edible species, such as the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria, and the ocean quahog, Arctica islandica. Another species commercially exploited on the Atlantic Coast o…
Religion
In Judaism, clams are considered non-kosher (treif); but in Islam, clams are considered Halal. In Jainism, eating clams is against the principles of ‘ahinsa’ or non-violence, as it is a result of killing (hinsa) a living creature.
As currency
Some species of clams, particularly Mercenaria mercenaria, were in the past used by the Algonquians of Eastern North America to manufacture wampum, a type of sacred jewellery; and to make shell money.
See also
• Clam juice – Broth obtained from clams
• List of clam dishes – dishes and foods prepared using clams
• Shipworm – Family of molluscs
• Water purification – Process of removing undesirable chemicals, biological contaminants, suspended solids from water