Giant Pacific Cockle [Clinocardium nuttallii]
Description
The Giant Pacific Cockle is native to the Pacific coast of North America, from Alaska to Baja California. It inhabits sandy and muddy bottoms, often in intertidal or shallow subtidal zones. This species is particularly known for its large size, often exceeding 150mm in length. The shell is thick and robust, with a distinctive ridged pattern. The Giant Pacific Cockle is a suspension feeder, filtering plankton and other small organisms from the water column.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Mollusks
Mollusca
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Clams, Oysters, and Scallops
Bivalvia
|
| Order |
Cockles
Cardiida
|
| Family |
Cockles
Cardiidae
|
| Genus |
Giant Cockle
Dinocardium
|