Protothaca staminea

The Native Littleneck or Steamer Clam

Phylum Mollusca
Class Bivalvia
Order Veneroida
Family Veneridae
Genus Protothaca
Species staminea

Description: 6 cm long, 4 to 5 cm high; whitish to tan and brownish, sometimes with brown markings ; oval, plump, with thick valves; valves have both radiating and concentric ridges criss crossing the surface.

Habitat: Lies buried 3 to 10 cm deep in sandy areas or areas of sand mixed with gravel or mud between high and low tide lines.

Natural History: This clam is a likely prey for Moon Snails, since it does not burrow very deep. Piles of its shells can be found washed up on beaches with a little hole drilled in them by Moon Snails. The Native Littleneck, better known as the Steamer Clam is popular for human consumption. This clam grows slowly. It takes four to six years to reach the commercial size of two inches. Since the growth rate is so slow, so is the reproduction rate. It takes ten to twenty-five years for a clam bed to repopulate and mature.