The colorful Coquina Clams emerging from a sandy beach
Posted By RichC on February 3, 2019
After watching a short YouTube video of the Coquina Clam emerging from the “swash zone” on a beach after a wave retreated, I thought a short animated gif would make a great winter filler post for the blog.
The coquina clam (Donax variabilis) is a common inhabitant of Florida’s sandy beaches. Known for their highly variable color patterns, coquinas can be found buried just under the surface of the sand in the wave-swept area of the beach known as the swash zone. These algae filter-feeders are a critical food source for fish, crabs and shorebirds. Along with other animals such as the mole crab (Emerita talpoida) and ghost crab (Ocypode quandrata), coquina clams are considered indicator species for beach habitat. Because of their sensitivity to environmental changes, indicator species can act as an early warning system for biologists. (more)
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