Evergreen Natural History Database

Common name(s): Native littleneck, Steamer Clam

Size:
Up to 75mm

Range:
Aleutian Islands to Mexico

Habitat:
Intertidal to 37 m. Prefers coarse sand but may be found in cobble or coarse shell mixed with gravel mud or sand buried to depths of 80 mm. Primarily estuarine but can occasionally be found along the open coast.

Misidentification:
Tapes philippinarum, Protothaca tenerrima

Life History:
Matures in the second year and spawns from April to July. Though normally dioecious, there is some occurrence of hermaphrodism in P. staminea. Not a strong digger, this species can not move vertically very well but can dig horizontally quite well.

Predators:
Ceratostoma spp., Nucella emarginata, Polinices lewisii, Pycnopodia spp., Evasterias spp., Pisaster spp., Cancer productus

*"Size" refers to shell length only and only gives the largest average size for the given species.

Last updated Tuesday, August 29, 2006, by Lisa Ferrier