Molluscs › Trough Shells

Fragile surfclam

Mactrotoma fragilis

Easily confused with

Study checks a spoken answer against these, and tells you which one you named.

Where it is recorded

Records by month in Texas.January 5, February 5, March 5, April 10, May 6, June 3, July 3, August 3, September 3, October 4, November 5, December 4.
United States610
Texas56
South Carolina38
North Carolina23
Alabama8
Georgia5
Virginia4
Mississippi2
Louisiana2
Maryland2

Counts show where people looked, not only where it lives.

Traits

Physical

  • Shell-bearingProtected by a hard shellFrom its classification

Group and habits

  • Filter feederFeeds by filtering suspended food particles from water.From its classification

Classification

KingdomAnimals · Animalia
PhylumMolluscs · Mollusca
ClassBivalves · Bivalvia
OrderVenerida
FamilyTrough Shells · Mactridae
GenusMactrotoma

Sources

Remember the name next time.

Practise Fragile surfclam with real photos from different observers. Say the name out loud, and it comes back just before you would forget it.