Bivalves
Family Solenidae & Pharidae
Click on photo to enlarge. Scale line in photo equals 1cm unless otherwise specified.
* Species which are commonly encountered on the beach.
SolenidaeBirch Bay, WA, intertidal
Ocean Shores, WA
Cape Disappointment, WA, intertidal
Solen sicarius A.A. Gould, 1850
Sickle Jackknife-Clam *
mid to lower intertidal zone size to 103mm
northern Mexico to Haida Gwaii, BC
This shell is a common species. It lives in the sand and mud of sheltered bays. It is our only Solen species in the northwest and can't be mistaken for any other species.
PharidaePribilof Islands, AK
Siliqua alta (Broderip & Sowerby, 1829)
Alaska Razor-Clam
low intertidal to 85m size to 200mm
California to northern Alaska
This is more likely to be seen only subtidally. It is more robust than Siliqua patula
and the internal rib is nearly vertical. Grows much smaller in
its southern range.
Siliqua patula (Dixon, 1789)
Pacific Razor-Clam *
intertidal to 55m size to 190mm
California to Cook Inlet, Alaska
This
is a common open coast species and is highly prized by clam diggers,
although its harvest season is strictly regulated. It has a
highly polished periostracum. Its internal rib is angled.
Ruby Beach, WA, intertidal
This page last revised: 5-25-2018