Our Clam is Such a Ham

Come see the amazing clams that we have in our touch tank at the Discovery Center. The clam you see pictured below is a soft-shelled clam. These are the yummy clams that a lot of people refer to as steamers. However, we prefer to leave our clams for the crabs to eat, which they love to do! In the picture you can see a tube like structure. This structure is called the siphon. Clams usually like to be closed in order to protect themselves, but they need to eat somehow. Therefore, they put the siphon out into the water and suck water into their shell. This water is filled with yummy organisms for them to eat like zooplankton. Their inner organs filter out the food and then they shoot out the waste using the other tube like structure. This is called filter feeding and this is how the majority of invertebrates in the ocean feed. Fascinating huh? Well, I am about to blow your mind even more. Did you know that clams can move? Yes, clams have the ability to dig in the sand to prevent themselves from being washed away with the tides. They can also move along the bottom of the ocean floor. They have a large structure that comes out of their shell and flings them this way and that. I think it looks like a tongue, but it is actually called a foot. We have a surf clam in the tank that flings itself about all day. It is so cool to watch. Today, Ceci, one of the interns, finally got to see it and she was so excited. So if you are interested in flinging, filter feeding clams come on down and visit us at the Blue Ocean Discovery Center.

As always, your marine friends at the Blue Ocean Society.