Mercenaria mercenaria - Hard-shell / Atlantic clam or Quahog (Marine bivalve images)

The adult specimen above is from the Turk Collection, photographed on 02.05.20.

Hard-shell clam or Quahog
Mercenaria mercenaria
- spat valves / exterior / interior 1

Hard-shell clam or Quahog
Mercenaria mercenaria
- collection dead spat shells 1

Hard-shell clam or Quahog
Mercenaria mercenaria
- collection dead spat shells 2

Hard-shell clam or Quahog
Mercenaria mercenaria
- spat with mm division rule 1

The specimens of spat above were obtained from a hatchery on the Isle of Wight in the spring of 1969; photographed 02.05.20. The specimens are part of the Turk Collection, a collection of marine molluscs and other curios that was put together by the late Stella Turk MBE. The collection is now curated by the author of this website.

Mercenaria mercenaria is a non-native species it is native to north America and is found around the Gulf coasts from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Texas. The large species of mollusc or shellfish to use the 'edible' term, was unsuccessfully introduced several times since the middle of the 19thC century, it was successfully introduced from the United States into Southampton Water in 1925. Being a large species to 12cm across it was introduced for its meat.

The species has a limited distribution in the UK, Burnham-on Crouch, the south coast of England, Pembrokeshire and Loch Sunart, Scotland, all have reports.

Ref: MarLIN, The Marine Life Information Network.

Scientific and European Names:
Mercenaria mercenaria, Little necks, Northern quahog, Cherry stones, Amerikaanse venusschelp, Palourde americaine, Quahog.

Scientific and Common Names used are largely gained from from the WoRMS Database.

APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.