Ungulinidae
Diplodonta impolita
Diplodonta impolita
S.S. Berry, 1953
Rough Diplodon
Parvalucina tenuisculpta
Parvalucina tenuisculpta
(Carpenter, 1864)
Fine-Lined Lucine

Mytilus trossulus
Mytilus trossulus
Gould, 1850
Foolish Mussel*
Crenella decussata
Crenella decussata
(Montagu, 1808)
Cross-Sculpture Crenella
Chiton
Identification

Nuculidae
Acila castrensis
Acila castrensis
 (Hinds, 1843)
Divaricate Nutclam

Bivalves of the Pacific Northwest

(Northern California to Southeast Alaska)

Click on photo to enlarge.  Scale line in photo equals 1cm unless otherwise specified.
* Species which may be found intertidally (on the beach)
 Species without an asterisk are intertidal but difficult to find or
are normally found below the lowest tide level (by divers)  
 

 





































 Tresus capax
Tresus capax
(Gould, 1850)
Fat Horse Clam*





Astartidae
Astarte compacta
Astarte compacta
Carpenter, 1864
Compact Astarte
Miodontiscus prolongatus
Miodontiscus prolongatus
(Carpenter, 1864)
Elongate Carditid




Solenidae
Solen sicarius
Solen sicarius
A.A. Gould, 1850
Sickle Jackknife-Clam


Mactridae
Mactromeris polynyma
Mactromeris polynyma
(Stimpson, 1860)
Arctic Surfclam*







Rochefortia tumida
Rochefortia tumida
(Carpenter, 1864)
Robust Mysella
Tellinidae
Macoma balthica
Macoma balthica
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Baltic Macoma*

Macoma inquinata
Macoma inquinata
(Deshayes, 1855)
Pointed Macoma*
Macoma golikovi
Macoma golikovi
Scarlato & Kafanov, 1988
Oval Macoma








Semelidae
Semele rubropicta
Semele rubropicta
Dall, 1871
Rose-Painted Clam

Psammobiidae
Gari californica
Gari californica
(Conrad, 1849)
California Sunsetclam

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to Northwest Shells
Tellina modesta
Tellina modesta
(Carpenter, 1864)
Plain Tellin
Tellina carpenteri
Tellina carpenteri
Dall, 1900
Carpenter's Tellin
Macoma elimata
Macoma elimata
Dunnill & Coan, 1968
Beveled Macoma
Macoma carlottensis
Macoma carlottensis
Whiteaves, 1880
Charlotte Macoma
Macoma brota
Macoma brota
Dall, 1916
Heavy Macoma

Pharidae
Siliqua patula
Siliqua patula
(Dixon, 1789)
Pacific Razor-Clam*







Leukoma staminea
Leukoma staminea
(Conrad, 1837)
Pacific Littleneck Clam*

Nutricola lordi
Nutricola lordi
(W. Baird, 1863)
Lord Dwarf-Venus








Myidae
Cryptomya californica
Cryptomya californica
(Conrad, 1837)
California Softshell-Clam
Petricolidae
Petricola carditoides
Petricola carditoides
(Conrad, 1837)
Hardy Petricolid*
Venerupis philippinarum
Venerupis philippinarum
(A.Adams & Reeve, 1850)
Japanese Littleneck Clam*




Macoma yoldiformis
Macoma yoldiformis
Carpenter, 1864
Yoldia Shape Macoma




Hiatellidae
Hiatella arctica
Hiatella arctica
(Linnaeus, 1767)
Arctic Hiatella

Penitella penita
Penitella penita
(Conrad, 1837)
Flat-Tip Piddock*
Panopea abrupta
Panopea abrupta
(Conrad, 1849)
Pacific Geoduc
Panomya ampla
Panomya ampla
Dall, 1898
Ample Roughmya

Saxidomus gigantea
Saxidomus gigantea
(Deshayes, 1839)
Washington Butter Clam*
-



Platyodon cancellatus
Platyodon cancellatus
(Conrad, 1837)
Boring Softshell-Clam
Mya truncata
Mya truncata
Linnaeus, 1758
Truncated Softshell-Clam

Mya arenaria
Mya arenaria
Linnaeus, 1758
Eastern Softshell-Clam*
Protothaca restorationensis
Protothaca restorationensis
Frizzell, 1930
Humilaria kennerleyi
Humilaria kennerleyi
(Reeve, 1863)
Kennerley's Venus
Compsomyax subdiaphana
Compsomyax subdiaphana
(Carpenter, 1864)
Milky Pacific Venus



Pandora wardiana
Pandora wardiana
A.Adams, 1860
Giant Pandora

Mytilimeria nuttallii
Mytilimeria nuttallii
Conrad, 1837
Bladderclam

Lyonsiidae
Entodesma navicula
Entodesma navicula
(A.Adams & Reeve, 1850)
Northwest Ugly Clam*
Pandoridae
Pandora filosa
Pandora filosa
Carpenter, 1864
Western Pandora
Zirfaea pilsbryi
Zirfaea pilsbryi
Lowe, 1931
Rough Piddock


Veneridae
Callithaca tenerrima
Callithaca tenerrima
(Carpenter, 1857)
Thin-Shell Littleneck *





Nuttallia obscurata
Nuttallia obscurata
(Reeve, 1857)
Purple Mahogany Clam*




Musculista senhousia
Musculista senhousia
(Benson, 1842)
Japan Mussel
Nuculana penderi
Nuculana penderi
(Dall & Bartsch, 1910)
Pender's Nutclam

Glans carpenteri
Glans carpenteri
(Lamy, 1922)
Carpenter Carditid
Ostrea conchaphila
Ostrea conchaphila
Carpenter, 1857
Olympia Oyster

Veneridae comparison
Veneridae comparison
of common
similar-looking species
Tellina bodegensis
Tellina bodegensis
Hinds, 1845
Bodega Tellin
Trapezidae
Neotrapezium liratum
Neotrapezium liratum
(Reeve, 1843)
Quadrate Trapezium
Astarte ewquimalti
Astarte esquimalti
(Baird, 1863)
Wavy-Line Astarte
Simomactra falcata
Simomactra falcata
(Gould, 1850)
Hooked Surfclam
Tellina nuculoides
Tellina nuculoides
(Reeve, 1854)
Salmon Tellin
Clinocardium ciliatum
Clinocardium ciliatum
(Fabricius, 1780)
Hairy Cockle
Musculus niger
Musculus niger
(Gray, 1824)
Black Musculus

Megayoldia thraciaeformis
Megayoldia thraciaeformis
(Storer, 1838)
Axe Yoldia
Mytilidae
Adula californiensis
Adula californiensis
(Philippi, 1847)
California Datemussel

Nutricola tantilla
Nutricola tantilla
(Gould, 1853)
Purple Dwarf-Venus
Gastropod
Identification



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Macoma secta
Macoma secta
(Conrad, 1837)
White-Sand Macoma*
Macoma nasuta
Macoma nasuta
(Conrad, 1837)
Bent-Nose Macoma*
Tresus nuttallii
Tresus nuttallii
(Conrad, 1837)
Pacific Horse Clam*
Clinocardium nuttallii
Clinocardium nuttallii
(Conrad, 1837)
Nuttall's Cockle*

Cardiidae
Clinocardium blandum
Clinocardium blandum
(Gould, 1850)
Low-Rib Cockle


Macoma lipara
Macoma lipara
Dall, 1916
Sleek Macoma




Lasaeidae
Kellia suborbicularis
Kellia suborbicularis
(Montagu, 1803)
Suborbicular Kellyclam







Mactrotoma californica
Mactrotoma californica
(Conrad, 1837)
California Surfclam

This page last revised: 6-29-2010
Mytilus californianus
Mytilus californianus
Conrad, 1837
California Mussel*

Pholadidae
Penitella conradi
Penitella conradi
Valenciennes, 1846
Abalone Piddock
Tresus allomyax
Tresus allomyax
Coan & Valentich Scott, 2000
Strange Gaper











Macoma expansa
Macoma expansa
Carpenter, 1864
Expanded Macoma

Cardiomya planetica
Cardiomya planetica
(Dall, 1908)
Fine-Ribbed Cardiomya
Neaeromya rugifera
Neaeromya rugifera
(Carpenter, 1864)
Mud Shrimp Clam

Cuspidariidae
Cardiomya pectinata
Cardiomya pectinata
(Carpenter, 1864)
Ribbed Dipper




Patinopecten caurinus
Patinopecten caurinus
(A.A. Gould, 1850)
Weathervane Scallop

Lucinidae
Lucinoma annulatum
Lucinoma annulatum
(Reeve, 1850)
Western Ringed Lucine

Ostreidae
Crassostrea gigas
Crassostrea gigas
(Thunberg, 1793)
Pacific Oyster*








Carditidae
Cyclocardia ventricosa
Cyclocardia ventricosa
(Gould, 1850)
Stout Cardita


Astarte elliptica
Astarte elliptica
(Brown, 1827)
Elliptical Astarte


Crassodoma gigantea
Crassadoma gigantea
 (Gray, 1825)
Giant Rock Scallop






Chlamys rubida
Chlamys rubida
(Hinds, 1845)
Smooth Pink Scallop






Pectinidae
Chlamys hastata
Chlamys hastata
(Sowerby, 1842)
Spiny Pink Scallop


Modiolus rectus
Modiolus rectus
(Conrad, 1837)
Straight Horsemussel*

Modiolus modiolus
Modiolus modiolus
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Northern Horsemussel

Anomiidae
Pododesmus machrochisma
Pododesmus machrochisma
(Deshayes, 1839)
Green False-Jingle*

Mytilus complex
Mytilus complex*
Glycymerididae
Glycymeris septentrionalis
Glycymeris septentrionalis
(Middendorff, 1849)
Western Bittersweet
Nuculana minuta
Nuculana minuta
Müller, 1776
Yoldia seminuda
Yoldia seminuda
Dall, 1871
Oblique-Lined Yoldia
Yoldiidae
Yoldia myalis
Yoldia myalis
(Couthouy, 1838)
Oval Yoldia

Nuculanidae
Nuculana hamata
Nuculana hamata
 (Carpenter, 1864)
Hooked Nutclam