coquina (clam)

coquina (clam)
Any clam of the genus Donax, inhabiting sandy beaches worldwide.

Coquinas are very active; they migrate up and down beaches with the tide and can reburrow between waves. They have short siphons and feed on suspended plant material and detritus. A typical species, D. variabilis, measures about 0.4–1 in. (10–25 mm) in length. Its shell is wedge-shaped and varies from white, yellow, and pink to blue and mauve.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • coquina clam — ▪ mollusk       any bivalve mollusk of the genus Donax. These marine invertebrates inhabit sandy beaches along coasts worldwide. A typical species, Donax variabilis, measures only about 10 to 25 mm (0.4 to 1 inch) in length. Its shell is wedge… …   Universalium

  • clam — clam1 clamlike, adj. clammer, n. /klam/, n., v., clammed, clamming. n. 1. any of various bivalve mollusks, esp. certain edible species. Cf. quahog, soft shell clam. 2. Informal. a secretive or silent person. 3 …   Universalium

  • Coquina — For the variety of clam, see Donax . Coquina outcropping on the beach at Washington Oaks State Gardens, Florida Coquina ( …   Wikipedia

  • coquina — /koh kee neuh/, n. 1. Also called pompano, butterfly shell clam. a small clam, Donax variabilis, abundant in the intertidal zone of eastern and southern U.S. coastal beaches, having fanlike bands of various hues, the paired empty shells often… …   Universalium

  • coquina — co•qui•na [[t]koʊˈki nə[/t]] n. pl. nas 1) ivt Also called butterfly shell a small clam, Donax variabilis having fanlike bands of various hues and common in intertidal zones of the E and S U.S. coasts: the paired empty shells often spread in a… …   From formal English to slang

  • coquina — noun Etymology: Spanish, probably diminutive of coca head, alteration of coco bogeyman, coconut Date: 1837 1. a soft whitish limestone formed of broken shells and corals cemented together and used for building 2. a small wedge …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • coquina — n. soft whitish stone that resembles a coral which is formed of fragments of shells and corals (used as building material); pompano, small clam common on the intertidal region of eastern and southern USA …   English contemporary dictionary

  • butterfly-shell clam — /but euhr fluy shel / coquina. * * * …   Universalium

  • pompano clam — noun also pompano shell : a bivalve of the genus Donax : coquina …   Useful english dictionary

  • butterfly-shell clam — /but euhr fluy shel / coquina …   Useful english dictionary

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