Largest bivalve found on the south coast. It is fan-shaped with the tip embedded in sand or mud. The popular name ‘razor clam’ indicates the hazard these bivalves pose to bare-footed bathers. The species occurs gregariously and can be extremely abundant near low-tide mark in the South Australia gulfs. Shells in that area are usually colonised by diverse communities of plants and animals. The flesh of the razor clam can be eaten and was once sold in South Australia, although the size of the edible meat is trivial compared with the size of the shell.
Information
Max Size: 50 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 13.3-27.3°C
Depth: 0-10m
Habitat: Soft sediment
Rarity
IUCN Threat Status: Not Evaluated
Occurrence: Infrequent (6% of sites)
Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution.
It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
Abundance: Many (12 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney
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