Clams are quiet, tranquil creatures that rest on the sand underneath are oceans, rivers, and lakes. You may not pay attention to them as you stroll along the beach or swim in the sea, but they are doing a lot of coordination, cleaning the water, and living a peaceful life. Most people do not consider clams, but when you know what they are, you will see how astounding they are. They are not swift, or colorful but they are full of surprises. In this blog, there are 20 simple and interesting facts about clams. You will learn about their lives, what they eat, and why they are important to the ocean – and to us.
1. Shell Body
Clams have two sturdy shells that guard their soft body. Like a book, the shells hinge together to open and close. When the clam feels secure, it will open its shell slightly to breathe or eat. However, when a clam senses danger, it closes its shell tightly, all quite quickly.
2. No Brain
Clams do not have a brain, which may seem odd, but it is indeed the case. Clams, however, do have a simple nervous system they can feel things like touch, pain and temperature, but they do not think in the same way humans or even fish think.
3. Hiding in Sand
Clams live under the sediment of the ocean floor, they have a large muscle called a “foot” that allows them to dig out and bury themselves under the sand. This foot holds extremely tightly to avoid being eaten. Some clams bury themselves very deep, to get away from potential predation, which, in this case, could be sea stars or birds.
4. Long Life
Some clams live for very long time. The ocean quahog clam is among the oldest living animals on Earth, and some of them found in a clam bed have been over 500 years old! Which, by the way, is older than the founding of the United States!
5. Filter Feeders
Clams filter small bits of food from the water. They pull in water, catch the plankton and nutrients they need, and push back out the clean water. A clam can filter 50 gallons of water a day. That’s a lot of filtration cleaning.
6. They Have a Foot
Clams have a foot but not like yours. It is a tough, tongue-like muscle that they use for digging or moving. Some clams use their foot to “walk” through the sand slowly. Others simply dig and stay put.
7. Many Sizes
Clams come in all shapes and sizes. Some are very small, smaller than a finger nail. Others, like the giant clam, can be over 4 feet wide and weigh more than 500 pounds. That’s heavier than two grown men!
8. Can Make Pearls
Some clams can create pearls, but not all of them can. When a little bit of sand or debris gets into the shell, the clam will cover it over and over in the shiny material called nacre. After many layers of nacre, a pearl is created. Clam pearls are rare and beautiful.
9. Simple Eyes
Clams don’t have actual eyes, but some have little spots that are light-sensitive. This helps them know if it is light or dark outside. If it is light, they can sense if something is moving nearby, and if that is the case, they would want to stay shut.
10. They Start Small
Clams start life as little swimmers. The babies are called larvae, and they are free swimming. After a few weeks of swimming, they settle down to the bottom and grow their hard shell.
11. Very Old Creatures
Clams have been on the planet for an exceedingly long time- over 500 million years. That’s before the dinosaurs came to this planet! Because of their simple bodies and passive lifestyles, clams have experienced many environmental changes.
12. Stay Safe by Closing
Clams have a great defense, which is that they can close their shell tight. If something touches them, or the shaking of the water occurs, the clam will snap itself shut to protect his soft inside. This is a good way to keep from being eaten.
13. They Can Move
Most clams don’t do much in the way of moving. Some can move, but they do it slowly. They use their foot to slide or dig through the sand. They aren’t fast, but they do work. I have even seen them jump slightly by squirting water!
14. Animals Eat Clams
Despite the hard shells that protect clams, they are a favorite meal for many animals. Crabs, sea stars, otters, birds, and people all dig up and eat clams. That’s why clams spend so much time buried in the sand.
15. Clams Help the Ocean
Clams are important for the ocean. They filter water, helping to keep the sea clear. They also enrich nutrients on the sea floor and have an impact on places where they provide habitat for other marine animals.
16. Found Worldwide
You can find clams just about anywhere: oceans, rivers, lakes, and muddy swamps. The shores of America and the beaches of Asia—all over the world, clams are common.
17. Used in Cooking
Clams are commonly part of food dishes in many eateries. Clams can be steamed, grilled, or put in soup, or just eaten raw. People love clam chowder, fried clams, and clam pasta; these dishes showing up in seafood restaurants on and off the shores.
18. Clams Have Gills
Clams have gills, just like fish! But instead of using their gills just to breathe, they use them to filter food from the water; eating and breathing at the same time.
19. Some Clams Live on Rocks
Most clams burrow into sand or sediment, but a few types of clams that attach to hard surfaces like coral or rock, and live their entire lives in one place. They grow in place, never moving, however, their shells are hard and become resources that can withstand strong wave action!
20. Quiet and Peaceful
Clams are silent things that never can be chaste, bite, or brawl with anything. They hang out in the sand, performing their duty of filtering water, looking for feed and quite living. The way of life is soothing and an example to us that we don’t always need to rush everywhere.
Final Thoughts
Clams do not look like much but are very amazing creatures! With hard shell and living hundreds of years, clams, have a history and a quiet, but important place in the ecosystem! They help clean our ocean, provide biomass for the many sea animals, and are a food item for humans!
The sometimes little and slow things in life can become just as powerful in their own correct way. The clam is evidence that a big part of making a difference is that you do not have to move quickly or be ostentatious! Clams are great peaceful examples from nature, whether buried in the sand or piled on another clam on a rock!
Next time you find a clam shell on the beach, consider the amazing animal that lived in it. It had no mind, no voice, and no hurry but it mattered.
