Coquina Clams from My Collection

Coquina Clams are small members of the clam species who live in the tidal zone of many of our beaches. Various species live around the world. The southern Atlantic Coquina lives from Virginia south into the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.  In good habitats of clean water and sand, these clams will multiply and become plentiful indicating a healthy beach.

Size

Coquina clams can grow up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) in length. They are more abundant in the smaller sizes, generally around ½ inch long, at least on the beaches I find them on. They are about ½ the length in width, at the widest point, which is at the hinge. Their bivalve shells form into a wedge (triangular) shape.

Color

Their shells come in a variety of colors: yellow, white, purple, brown, pink are just some of the colors I have seen. Many times the shells are banded and striped, adding even more to their beauty.

The stripes radiate from the hinge area out to the edge of the shell. The bands form parallel to the shell’s edge, going from one side to the other. These bands and stripes can be darker or lighter than the underlying shell, creating various shades of color.

Habitat

Like I stated earlier, these small clams like to hang their seashells in the tidal zones of sandy beaches. They move up and down the beach with the movement of the tide. The water gives them a lift, first up the beach and then back down. When they fine the spot they are looking for, they quickly bury themselves in the sand.

Coquinas like to hang out with each other. Where you find one, you can find many others forming colonies of clams. They align themselves vertically in the sand, which means they can pack themselves into the available real estate quite nicely.

They can be adversely affected by human activity. Things like beach re-nourishment, dredging, and erosion control can cause their populations to drop.

Feeding

Organic goodies suspended in the water that washes over the Coquinas make up their meals.  They put out a couple of siphons when feeding. One siphon filters food particles out of the water, while the other siphon moves waste products out of the clam.

Life Span & Breeding

The estimates I saw as I wandered around the internet searching out information on the Coquina Clams life span ranged from 3 to 6 months all the way up to 3 years. It seems that no one is quite sure just how long they live, probably because they have a high mortality rate.

To breed both males and females are required. When ready the females release eggs into the water. The males then release their sperm into the water to fertilize the eggs.

As an edible species, Coquina Clams are prolific breeders. It seems everyone wants a little Coquina. Fish, birds and other animals include them in their diet. Humanity also eats them, usually in clam soups and chowders.

Alias

Coquina Clams are known by quite a few other names, probably depending on the part of the country they are found.  Bean clams, Butterfly Shell Clams, Wedge Shells, and Pompano are some other names they are known by.

Shell Crafts

Coquina seashells can be used in various shell crafts. Although the seashells are small, the variety of colors and patterns they come in can enhance any item on which they are used.  If you’d like some ideas on shell craft projects visit Shellcraft Guides and take a look.

More Info

If you’d like more detailed information on Coquina Clams do a search on your favorite search engine. Type in Coquina Clams Info.