Razor Clam

Siliqua patula

Razor Clam

Siliqua patula

Other Common Names
Pacific Razor clam, Northern razor clam, Giant pod

Sandy Coast

Other Common Names

Pacific Razor clam, Northern razor clam, Giant pod

At the Aquarium

Sandy Coast

Appearance

Razor clams are more than twice as long as they are wide, reaching lengths of 6.7 inches. The narrow, thin shells have a smooth brown or olive-green coat and the valves gape everywhere but at the hinge.

Habitat

From the intertidal to depths of 180 feet; inhabit sandy, stable, surf-swept beaches on the open coast and also some bays. Can be as deep as 4 feet in the sand

Diet

Filter-feed on phytoplankton

Life History

Razor clams can broadcast spawn any time of year, though most spawning occurs in spring and summer. A female will release 6-10 million eggs in a single spawn. The free-swimming larvae will develop into juvenile clams in 5 to 16 weeks. Juveniles will usually inhabit the first few inches of sand, moving deeper as they grow. Growth is slow in fall and winter but very fast in spring and summer. The clam reaches sexual maturity after about 18 months, when it is 4 inches long. The shells can grow as long as 6.7 inches and they can live 12 years.

IUCN Status

Not Evaluated

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Razor clams are eaten by a variety of animals including starry flounders and Dungeness crabs.

Alaska to California

The majority (90%) of Oregon’s razor clam harvest occurs on Clatsop beach, which runs from the south jetty of the Columbia River to Tillamook Head. Anyone can go clamming but you do need to first obtain a permit from ODFW.

Razor clams are fast diggers: they can dig up to a foot per minute.
Razor clams can serve as host to a worm or a pea crab, which will live in its mantle cavity.

Razor Clam

Razor Clam

Other Common Names

At the Aquarium

Appearance

Habitat

Diet

Life History

IUCN Status

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Citations & Other Resources

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