The hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria), also known as the round clam, hard-shell (or hard-shelled) clam, or the quahog, is an edible marine bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America from Prince Edward Island to the Yucatán Peninsula. It is one of many unrelated edible bivalves that in the United States are frequently referred to simply as clams. Older literature sources may use the systematic name Venus mercenaria; this species is in the family Veneridae, the venus clams.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it venomous or poisonous?
We have no record of Northern Quahog being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Agriopoma morrhuanum
- Mercenaria campechiensis
- Arctica islandica
- Saxidomus purpurata
- Saxidomus gigantea
- Cyclina sinensis
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Mollusca
- Class
- Bivalvia
- Order
- Venerida
- Family
- Veneridae
- Genus
- Mercenaria
- Species
- Mercenaria mercenaria
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