Hard clam
Hard clam
The Hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria), also known as the Mercenaria, Quahog, Cherrystone clam, Littleneck clam, or Northern quahog, is a species of bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America, from Prince Edward Island to the Yucatán Peninsula. It is one of many clam species harvested for their meat worldwide.
Pronunciation
Hard clam: /hɑːrd klæm/
Etymology
The term "Hard clam" is derived from the hardness of its shell compared to other clam species. The species name Mercenaria mercenaria comes from the Latin word mercenarius meaning "hired" or "paid for", referring to the use of the species' shells by Native Americans as a form of currency.
Related Terms
- Bivalve: A class of marine and freshwater mollusks that have a shell divided into two hinged parts.
- Mollusk: A large phylum of invertebrate animals, many of which have a calcareous shell of one, two, or more pieces.
- Quahog: Another common name for the hard clam, derived from the Narragansett word poquauhock.
- Cherrystone clam: A size classification for hard clams that are between 2.5 and 3 inches in diameter.
- Littleneck clam: The smallest size of hard clams, less than 2 inches in diameter.
- Northern quahog: Another name for the hard clam, particularly in the New England region of the United States.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Hard clam
- Wikipedia's article - Hard clam
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski