Molluscs › Sunset Clams and Allies

Purple Clam

Nuttallia nuttallii

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 California.January 40, February 35, March 36, April 45, May 44, June 32, July 28, August 28, September 36, October 37, November 47, December 36.
United States443
California441
Mexico4
Baja California4
Nevada2

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
OrderCockles, Tellins, and Allies · Cardiida
FamilySunset Clams and Allies · Psammobiidae
GenusNuttallia

Sources

Remember the name next time.

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