Japanese Littleneck
Venerupis philippinarum
Description 2
The shell is roundly triangular in shape strong and heavy, with radiating ridges and varies in colour from greyish white through yellow to buff brown. The shell also has distinctive black and white markings. The interior surface of the shell is smooth with a deep purple band. It can grow up to 6 cm in length. The tip of the siphon is split. The body tissue of live specimens, especially the foot, are orange.Manila clams are indigenous to Japan and are widely used in commercial fisheries. It can tolerate water temperatures ranging from 0 to 23 °C. The Manila clam is superficially similar in shape and size to the paloured clam Tapes decussatus, however the flesh of live Manila clams, especially the foot is orange whilst in the paloured clam, the foot is white. The shell of the Manila clam also has distinctive black and white markings. When observed feeding underwater, the siphon of the Manila clam is joined but separate in the paloured clam.
Habitat 3
Depth Range: High intertidal
Habitat: Sand, mud, or gravel in the high intertidal zone. May occasionally be attached to a stone by a byssus.
Biology 4
Biology/Natural History: The siphon of this clam is not long (even though it has a well-developed pallial notch) and the clam buries only to 10 cm depth. This clam is introduced from Asia. It was first accidentally introduced into British Columbia in 1936 along with Pacific Oyster spat. It has now become well established and is one of the main species of clam harvested along the coast of Washington and British Columbia. Moon snails Polinices lewisii don't often attack this species because the species lives so high in the intertidal. Breeds in the summer. May contain pea crab symbionts Pinnixia faba or P. littoralis. Tolarates salinity as low as 1/3 seawater. May live 14 years. May contain red tide toxins.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Chris Moody, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3293/5808619363_155b8c9564_b.jpg
- (c) The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/10658629
- (c) Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/10457310
- (c) Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/10457309
