World Register of Introduced Marine Species (WRiMS)

Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 670 [details] Available for editors

[request]

Descriptive notes

Distribution Labrador to off Georgia; Western Europe

Distribution Labrador to off Georgia; Western Europe [details]

Distribution Circumboreal, not reaching the Mediterranean

Distribution Circumboreal, not reaching the Mediterranean [details]

Taxonomic citation

MolluscaBase eds. (2025). MolluscaBase. Mya arenaria Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=140430 on 2025-07-07

Taxonomic edit history

Date

action

2004-12-21 15:54:05Z

created

Gofas, Serge

2024-08-31 16:17:50Z

changed

Vinarski, Maxim

2024-10-01 17:41:30Z

changed

Dekker, Henk

Licensing

The webpage text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License

[taxonomic tree]

Nomenclature

original description Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 670 [details] Available for editors

[request]

original description (of Mya communis Megerle von Mühlfeld, 1811) Megerle von Mühlfeld, J. C. (1811). Entwurf eines neuen Systems der Schaltiergehäuse. Magazin für die neuesten Entdecklungen in der gesammten Naturkunde von der Gesellschaft Naturforschaft Freunde zu Berlin. 5(1): 38-72, pl. 3., available online at http://books.google.es/books?id=JicVAAAAYAAJ
page(s): 46 [details]

original description (of Mya corpulenta Conrad, 1845 †) Conrad, T. A. (1845). Fossils of the Medial Tertiary of the United States. No. 3. Judah Dobson, Philadelphia, pp. 57-80, pl. 30-32, 34-44., available online at https://books.google.de/books?id=XgszAQAAIAAJ
page(s): 68, pl. 39, fig. 1 [details]

original description (of Mya declivis Pennant, 1777) Pennant, T. (1777). British Zoology, vol. IV. Crustacea. Mollusca. Testacea. London. i-viii, 1-154, pls. 1-93., available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/127011
page(s): Ed. 4, 4: 66 [details]

original description (of Mya elongata Locard, 1886) Locard, A. (1886). Prodrome de malacologie française. Catalogue général des mollusques vivants de France. Mollusques marins. Lyon: H. Georg & Paris: Baillière. x + 778 pp. , available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10831012
page(s): 383, 586-587 [details]

original description (of Mya lata J. Sowerby, 1815 †) Sowerby, J. (1812-1815). The mineral conchology of Great Britain; or coloured figures and descriptions of those remains of testaceous animals or shells, which have been preserved at various times and depths in the earth [Vol. I]. London, privately published, pp. i-vii, 9-234 + index [2 pp.], pl. 1-102., available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/14408
page(s): 185, pl. 81 [details]

original description (of Sphenia ovoidea P. P. Carpenter, 1865) Carpenter, P. P. (1865). Diagnoses specierum et varietatum novarum Moluscorum, prope Sinum Pugetianum a Kennerlio Doctore, nuper decesso, collectorum. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 17: 54–64., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1682135
page(s): 54; note: genus name misspelled Shænia [details]

original description (of Mya acuta Say, 1822) Say, T. (1822). An account of some of the marine shells of the United States. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. 2(1): 221-248; 2(2): 257-276, 302-325., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36831411
page(s): 313 [details]

original description (of Mya subtruncata S. Woodward, 1833) Woodward, S. (1833). An outline of the geology of Norfolk. John Stacy, Norwich. Longman & Co, London. pp. 54, pls I - VI, 1 map. , available online at http://books.google.com/books?id=6msRAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover
page(s): 42 [details]

original description (of Mya arenaria var. corbuloides Comfort, 1938) Comfort, A. (1938). A new variety of Mya arenaria. Journal of Conchology. 21: 80. [details]

original description (of Mya subovata S. Woodward, 1833) Woodward, S. (1833). An outline of the geology of Norfolk. John Stacy, Norwich. Longman & Co, London. pp. 54, pls I - VI, 1 map. , available online at http://books.google.com/books?id=6msRAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover
page(s): 42 [details]

original description (of Mya arenaria var. ovata A. S. Jensen, 1900) Jensen A.S. (1900). Om levninger av grundtvandsdyr paa store havdyb mellem Jan Mayen og Island.. Videnskablige Meddelelser fra den Naturhistoriske Forening i Köbenhavn 1900: 229-239. [details]

original description (of Mya mercenaria Say, 1822) Say, T. (1822). An account of some of the marine shells of the United States. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. 2(1): 221-248; 2(2): 257-276, 302-325., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36831411
page(s): 313 [details]

basis of record Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca. in: Costello, M.J. et al. (eds), European Register of Marine Species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Patrimoines Naturels. 50: 180-213., available online at http://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/ocrd/254404.pdf [details]

Other

context source (Introduced species) Katsanevakis, S.; Bogucarskis, K.; Gatto, F.; Vandekerkhove, J.; Deriu, I.; Cardoso A.S. (2012). Building the European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN): a novel approach for the exploration of distributed alien species data. BioInvasions Records. 1: 235-245., available online at http://easin.jrc.ec.europa.eu [details] Available for editors

[request]

context source (HKRMS) City University of Hong Kong. (2010). Provision of Services for Species Identification and Data Analysis of Epibenthic Organisms from Hong Kong Water. Final report. Environmental Protection Department. Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University [details]

context source (Schelde) Maris, T., O. Beauchard, S. Van Damme, E. Van den Bergh, S. Wijnhoven & P. Meire. (2013). Referentiematrices en Ecotoopoppervlaktes Annex bij de Evaluatiemethodiek Schelde-estuarium Studie naar “Ecotoopoppervlaktes en intactness index”. [Reference matrices and Ecotope areas Annex to the Evaluation methodology Scheldt estuary Study on “Ecotope areas and intactness index”. Monitor Taskforce Publication Series, 2013-01. NIOZ: Yerseke. 35 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]

context source (BeRMS 2020) Bio-environmental research group; Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries research (ILVO), Belgium; (2016): Macrobenthos monitoring in function of dredge disposal monitoring in the Belgian part of the North Sea. [details]

context source (Bermuda) Jensen, R. H. (1997). A Checklist and Bibliography of the Marine Molluscs of Bermuda. Unp. , 547 pp [details]

additional source Abbott, R. T. (1974). American seashells. The marine Mollusca of the Atlantic and Pacific coast of North America. ed. 2. Van Nostrand, New York. 663 pp., 24 pls. [October 1974]. (look up in IMIS) [details]

additional source Zenetos, A., M.E. Cinar, M.A. Pancucci-Papadopoulou, J.G. Harmelin, G. Furnari, F. Andaloro, N. Bellou, N. Streftaris & H. Zibrowius. (2005). Annotated list of marine alien species in the Mediterranean with records of the worst invasive species. Mediterranean Marine Science. 6 (2): 63-118., available online at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273213810_Annotated_list_of_marine_alien_species_in_the_Mediterranean_with_records_of_the_worst_invasive_species [details] Available for editors

[request]

additional source Huber, M. (2010). Compendium of bivalves. A full-color guide to 3,300 of the world's marine bivalves. A status on Bivalvia after 250 years of research. Hackenheim: ConchBooks. 901 pp., 1 CD-ROM. (look up in IMIS) [details]

additional source Zhang J.L., Xu F.S. & Liu J.Y. (2012) The Myidae (Mollusca, Bivalvia) from Chinese waters with description of a new species. Zootaxa 3383: 39–60. [Published 10 July 2012], available online at http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2012/2/zt03383p060.pdf [details]

additional source Keep, J. (1891). Mollusks of the San Francisco markets. The Nautilus. 4(9): 97-100., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12596720
page(s): 99 [details]

additional source Morse, E. S. (1922). An abnormal shell of Mya arenaria. The Nautilus. 36(1): 28-30., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8279826 [details]

additional source Blake, J. H. (1925). An abnormal clam. The Nautilus. 38(3): 89-90, 2 text-figures., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8525070 [details]

additional source Vles, F. (1909). Monographie sommaire de la Mye (Mya arenaria Linné,1767). Memoires de la Societe Zoologique de France. 22: 90-142., available online at https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/140676.pdf [details]

additional source Russell, H. D. (1952). The Duxbury Bay 1950 set of Mya arenaria L. The Nautilus. 66(1): 7-10, fig. 1., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8523304 [details]

additional source Clench, W. J. (1961). A record size for Mya arenaria. The Nautilus. 74(3): 122., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8524003 [details]

additional source Tubiash, H. S., Shuster, C. N., Jr. & Couch, J. A. (1968). Anomalous siphons in two species of bivalve mollusks. The Nautilus. 81(4): 123-125, figs. 1-3., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8528148 [details]

additional source Ropes, J. W. (1982). Hermaphroditism, sexuality and sex ratio in the surf clam, Spisula solidissima, and the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria. The Nautilus. 96(1): 141-146, fig. 1., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8497706 [details]

additional source Appeldoorn, R. S. (1984). Sex ratio in the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria. The Nautilus. 98(2): 61-63., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8277086 [details]

Present

Present in aphia/obis/gbif/idigbio

Inaccurate

Introduced: alien

Containing type locality

From editor or global species database

Alien species It is believed that the softshell or sand gaper Mya arenaria was introduced from America in the 16th or 17th century. There is also evidence that Vikings brought this species to Europe around 1245-1295, intentionally as food or accidentally in bilge water. Because the sand gaper is able to survive in different types of environments, it has a worldwide distribution. It is a large clamp – up to 15 centimetres – which, when abundantly present, can significantly influence the environment. Because of its entrenched way of life (sometimes up to 50 centimetres deep in the soil!) its presence often remains unnoticed. [details]

Distribution Labrador to off Georgia; Western Europe [details]

From regional or thematic species database

Introduced species abundance in Portugal (Nation) : Rare [details]

Introduced species abundance in Denmark (Nation) : Common [details]

Introduced species abundance in Ireland (Nation) : Common [details]

Introduced species impact in Celtic Sea (IHO Sea Area) : Other impact - undefined or uncertain [details]

Introduced species impact in Estonia (Nation) : Other impact - undefined or uncertain [details]

Introduced species impact in France (Nation) : Other impact - undefined or uncertain [details]

Introduced species impact in Dutch part of the North Sea : Other impact - undefined or uncertain [details]

Introduced species impact in United Kingdom (Nation) : Other impact - undefined or uncertain [details]

Introduced species impact in Denmark (Nation) : Other impact - undefined or uncertain [details]

Introduced species impact in Iceland (Nation) : Other impact - undefined or uncertain [details]

Introduced species impact in Ireland (Nation) : Other impact - undefined or uncertain [details]

Introduced species impact in Italy (Nation) : Outcompetes native species for resources and/or space [details]

Introduced species impact in Latvian part of the Gulf of Riga (Marine Region) : Consumes native species (predator or herbivore) [details]

Introduced species impact in Norway (Nation) : Other impact - undefined or uncertain [details]

Introduced species impact in United States (Alaska) part of the Gulf of Alaska (Marine Region) : Other impact - undefined or uncertain [details]

Introduced species vector dispersal in Dutch part of the North Sea : Natural dispersal [details]

Introduced species vector dispersal in Portugal (Nation) : Suspected to have been introduced intentionally. [details]

Introduced species vector dispersal United States part of the North Pacific Ocean (Marine Region) Aquaculture: deliberate [details]

Introduced species vector dispersal in Belgian part of the North Sea: Ships: accidental with ballast water, sea water systems, live wells or other deck basins [details]

Introduced species vector dispersal Greek part of the Aegean Sea (Marine Region) Ships: accidental with ballast water, sea water systems, live wells or other deck basins [details]

Introduced species vector dispersal Greek part of the Aegean Sea (Marine Region) Aquaculture: accidental [details]

Introduced species vector dispersal in Dutch part of the North Sea : Shipping [details]

Unreviewed

Dimensions reaches 2.5 to 15 cm in size [details]

Distribution Circumboreal, not reaching the Mediterranean [details]

Habitat intertidal, bathyal, infralittoral and circalittoral of the Gulf and estuary [details]

Reproduction Fertilization occurs externally in the water column where all of the larval developmental stages occur. [details]

Definitions

Language	Name
Chinese	砂海螂	[details]
Danish	almindelig sandmusling	[details]
Dutch	strandgapergrote strandgaper	[details]
English	steamer clamsteamersoft-shelled clamsoftshell clamsoftshellSmooth butter clamsand gaperManila clamlong necked clamlarge-neck clam	[details]
French	mye des sablesmyeclauquebec de jar	[details]
German	StrandausterSandmuschelSandklaffmuschelKlaffmuschelGroße Sandklaffmuschel	[details]
Japanese	セイヨウオオノガイオオノガイ	[details]
Modern Greek (1453-)	Σκαφτιάς	[details]
Polish	małgiew piaskołaz	[details]
Russian	Песчаная мия	[details]