Scale-sided Piddock
Parapholas californica
Also known as: Angel Wings, California Piddock, Clam, Mollusc, Piddock Clam, Piddocks, Scaled Piddock, Scaleside Piddock
- Angel Wings
- California Piddock
- Clam
- Mollusc
- Piddock Clam
- Piddocks
- Scaled Piddock
- Scaleside Piddock
Overview
Found over mud, shale, and hard substrate, of the ocean floor, where these clams bore holes, and construct chimneys, using tiny bits of rock, cemented with calcium carbonate, which become their burrows. Around exposed bays, and outer coasts, in the lower, intertidal areas.
Eastern Pacific - USA to Mexico
Most Bivalves are permanently anchored in fissures or depressions in the rock surface of the reef, some may become covered in algae and other marine life.
Other Bivalves swim free, either by a well developed foot or propelled along by a jet of water from their mantle cavity.
How to identify
Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Eastern Pacific
- Exact location · 2
Found over mud, shale, and hard substrate, of the ocean floor, where these clams bore holes, and construct chimneys, using tiny bits of rock, cemented with calcium carbonate, which become their burrows.
Adult photos 2
Discussion
No comments yet. Seen one, or got a question about it? Start the discussion.
Deep dive
Taxonomy
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumMollusca
- classBivalvia
- orderMyida
- familyPholadidae
- genusParapholas
- speciesParapholas californica (Conrad, 1837)
SourcesWoRMS
More in the family
Myida
