Manila Clam

Facts about Manila Clams, "Scientific name for Manila Clam Venerupis philippinarum". Manila Clams are the sea bivalve mollusks that belong to the genus Venerupis of the Veneridae family. The scientific name of this clam variety is Venerupis philippinarum and they are native from southern parts of Siberia to China. These clams are palatable, saltwater clams and they are called by other common names, such as Japanese littleneck, Asari, steamer clam, Japanese cockle, Filipino Venus and Japanese carpet shell. As these clams are widespread in the Philippines, they are called as Manila clams.

Features about Manila Clam

Manila Clams are capable of growing to a maximum length of 3 inches (7.5 cm), and with the maximum width of 1 1/4 inches (3.5 cm). The shell of these clams is elongate, oval in shape, and sculptured with glowing ribs. Their body color is greatly variable, with common colors, such as green, gray, brown, yellow or fawn with distinctive dark or pale colored, with triangular marks that start at the umbo and scatter outwards. The exact color can be distorted by dark gray mark, caused through anoxic sludge. These clams have an orange-colored foot.

The internal ventral border of the shell of Manila Clams is not serrated, and it is smooth and the ligament is prominent and high above their dorsal margin. Both valves of these clams have three well-grown cardinal teeth and there are two adductor muscle marks of analogous size. The umbones of these edible, sea water clams is situated close to the middle part of their shell. In the existing clam, the siphons are alienated at the tips. Water is drained in and out of the clam in the course small siphons that project from the posterior end of their shell. In this clam variety, the siphons are typically fused, and they are only split at the tips. The siphons of these clams are small when compared to other clam varieties in their family, which signifies that the Manila clam survives burrowed only a low distance beneath the surface of the substrate. The shells of these clams are completely closed and as their siphons are small, they are able to bury to only about 4 inches (10 cm) somewhat high in the intertidal region.

Usually, Manila clams prefer to live in homes that are situated from the medium to low intertidal region in estuaries and bays, in sandy mud, mud and cobble, buried at a depth, ranging from 3/4 inches to 1 3/5 inches (2 cm to 4 cm) beneath the surface. Their growth rate is fairly quick with the clams attaining viable size within two years.

Predators of Manila Clams include the Atlantic oyster drill, moon snails, Dungeness crab, bat rays, red rock crab, sturgeon, flounder, willet, raccoons and ring billed gulls.

Breeding of Manila Clam

Manila Clams breed usually in the summer season. Then larvae continue to grow gradually, particularly in crowded areas, attaining maturity when they reach the body length between 1/4 inches and 3/4 inches (1 cm and 2 cm). Manila clams are also competent to withstand salinities as low as 30 % to 50 % of that of uncontaminated seawater, and can bear high pollution levels.

The average lifespan of Manila Clams ranges from 7 years to 10 years.