While tidepooling in Central California, I found this clam. It is native to the Pacific Ocean from Baja California, Mexico to the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. The Pacific Littleneck Clam has a chalky shell that ranges from round- to oval-shaped and is a maximum of 3 inches long. Its shell is very heavy, and this species is sometimes called the “Rock Cockle” because of its strong radiating ridges.

This species is fast-growing and is often harvested in the wild by hand for cooking in chowder. On a wider scale, it is a popular edible clam which is commercially fished in some areas.

Pacific Littleneck Clams are poor diggers that not burrow vertically, due to their short siphons and feet. Thus, individuals remain close to surface of the substrate where they easily burrow horizontally. Since it is a relatively slow digger, it is not found in areas with unstable sand.

In 1885, this species was introduced to the East Coast of North America. The clams were brought from Oregon and Washington and planted near Woods Hole, Massachusetts, but they did not survive and were never found in the surrounding area.

The Pacific Littleneck Clam is also known as the Littleneck Clam, Common Pacific Littleneck, Rock Cockle, Hardshell Clam, Tomales Bay Cockle, Rock Clam, and Ribbed Carpet Shell.

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