| Mactridae (trough shells) |
| 9.4 cm SHL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 15 years |
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benthic; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 124 m |
| Western Atlantic: The Gulf of Mexico from Campeche to northwest Florida. Introduced to the Atlantic coast of North America (east coast of Florida to Chesapeake Bay and to the Hudson River). Northeast Atlantic: Introduced in Belgium and Poland. Tropical to temperate. |
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Shell oval, heavy, very thick. Hinge with lateral teeth transversally striated. Pallial sinus reduced. Umbones anterior, pointing inward and in anterior direction. Periostracum strong and smooth. Colour: externally dirt white, internally glossy white with slight blue-grey tinge; periostracum grey-brown (Ref. 271). |
| Maximum depth range from Ref. 104365. Lives in low salinity waters, found predominantly in estuaries (Ref. 121904). Also in salt marsh (Ref. 104365). Subtidal (Ref. 104487). It is found infaunal in sandy mud, in very low salinity brackish water (Ref. 271). Habitats have high water turbidity. Found in soft substrates which are a mixture of sand, mud and vegetation (Refs. 104240, 104487). A non-selective filter-feeder which turns substantial quantities of plant detritus and phytoplankton into clam biomass. Also obtains nutrition from sediments via direct ingestion or by feeding on bacteria. Predators include fish, crabs, gastropods and ducks (Ref. 104240). |
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Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
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