Order Veneroida Genus Donax Rank Species | ||
Similar Donax, Donacidae, Donax denticulatus, Donax fossor, Donax vittatus | ||
Donax variabilis say 1822 coquinas digging at surfside beach sc
Donax variabilis, known by the common name "coquina", "digger boy", or as a "periwinkle" colloquially in the Gulf Coast region, is a species of small edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Donacidae, the bean clams. It is a warm water species which occurs in shallow water on sandy beaches of the East Coast of the USA.
Contents
- Donax variabilis say 1822 coquinas digging at surfside beach sc
- Donax variabilis
- Distribution
- Description
- Biology
- Human uses
- References
Donax variabilis
Distribution
This species occurs on the east coast of the United States, from North Carolina to Florida including East Florida, West Florida and the Florida Keys.
Description
The maximum reported size is 19 mm. The exterior of the small shell of this species can have any one of a wide range of possible colors, from almost white, through yellow, pink, orange, red, purple, to brownish and blueish, with or without the presence of darker rays.
Biology
This species lives from the intertidal zone of sandy beaches to a depth of 11 m.
Human uses
The coquina is edible, and is used to make broth. Some people collect the colorful shells to use for crafts.
