Common Cockle [Cerastoderma edule]
Description
The Common Cockle is a species of edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Cardiidae. It is found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It has a strong, rounded shell with a slightly heart-shaped outline and is white, yellowish or brown in color. The species is a suspension feeder, filtering phytoplankton and organic particles out of the water.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Mollusks
Mollusca
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Clams, Oysters, and Scallops
Bivalvia
|
| Order |
Cockles
Cardiida
|
| Family |
Cockles
Cardiidae
|
| Genus |
European Cockle
Cerastoderma
|