Critters of the Chesapeake Bay

1. Critters of the Chesapeake Bay Hard Clams

2. Hard Clams or Quahogs The hard clam can be found in fairly high salinity areas of the bay region.

3. Hard Clams or Quahogs They are usually found in shallow burrows in the mud and sand.

4. Hard Clams or Quahogs Like other clams, the hard clam is a filter feeder usually filtering single celled algae like diatoms.

5. Hard Clams or Quahogs Hard clams have limited locomotion with their muscular foot; however, they rarely move if left undisturbed.

6. Hard Clams or Quahogs The hard clam is known by many names: round clams, quahog, little neck, cherrystone and chowder clam.

7. Hard Clams or Quahogs Many of these names are based on the size of the clams. Littlenecks are 2.0-2.5 inches; Cherrystones are 3.0-4.0 inches and Chowders are over 4 inches.

8. Basic Clam Anatomy

9. Hard Clam Shells The inside of the shell shows some key parts. The umbo. On hard clams, the umbo points toward the anterior of the clam.

10. Hard Clam Shells The anterior and the posterior muscle scares can be located.

11. Hard Clam Facts Individual clams can release as many as 60 million eggs during one season.

12. Hard Clam Facts Hard clams begin life as males and often become females with greater maturity.

13. Hard Clam Facts Hard clams can live for more than 30 years, occasionally reaching 50 years!