https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/203528424
I have been in love with these little pink shells my whole life. They are so cute and such a beautiful pink, and they have always caught my eye. The scientific name is Baltic Macoma, but it is more commonly known has the the Tiny Pink Clam (Fretwell and Starzomski).
The Wikipedia article "Limecola Balthica" says their shells are ovular in shape, smooth, and no bigger than 30 mm long. Even though I took a picture of and am talking about the pink ones, they also come in many other colors, such as "pink, purple, yellow, white and may be blackened in sulphide-rich sediments" (Budd and Rayment).
The Tiny Pink Clams live buried in the mud and silt, with their two siphons extended to feed on organic matter (Limecola Balthica). This same article also states that these clams are "capable of living in a wide range of water salinity" and they usually live in intertidal zones, estuaries and bays.
These clams live all over the world, "from temperate to arctic coastal waters in both the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans" (Budd and Rayment)
There is little to no information on the human uses of this clam. All I could find is that they are "prized by beachcombers" (Fretwell and Starzomski).
Fretwell, Kelly, and Brian Starzomski. “Baltic Macoma • Macoma Balthica.” Biodiversity of the Central Coast, 2014, www.centralcoastbiodiversity.org/baltic-macoma-bull-macoma-balthica.html.
Budd, Georgina C, and Will J Rayment. “The Marine Life Information Network.” MarLIN, 2001, www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/1465.
“Limecola Balthica.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 July 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limecola_balthica
Comentarios
Hi Erin,
I have never seen those pink clams before! In fact, I did not know that they even existed. That is crazy to me that you guys have those in Juneau and we do not have them (that I know of) in Ketchikan. Did you have to dig to find this one or did you just find it dead with its shell open? Your post says that they come in different colors, which is super cool. Have you ever found any in other colors besides pink?
That's so cool! The Tiny Pink Clam, or Baltic Macoma, sounds absolutely charming with its pretty pink shell. It's amazing how something so small and delicate-looking can be so adaptable, living in such a wide range of salinities and environments.
I can totally see why they'd be prized by beachcombers; finding one of those little pink gems must feel like uncovering a tiny treasure. It's a bit of a shame there isn't more information on their human uses, but maybe that's a good thing in a way – it keeps them special and more of a natural wonder than a resource.
Have you ever found any of these clams yourself while exploring the beaches around Juneau? It must be such a thrill to spot that pop of pink in the sand or mud. Also pink is my favorite color.
I hey Riz and Elizabeth! I find these allll over the beach, just on the surface, sitting out in the open for all to see. I believe that pink and white are the only colors I have seen myself :)
Nice work, Erin! Your MLA Format is really coming along, too! Note, however, that Works Cited sources are listed in alphabetical order. Additionally, article titles are always in quotation marks, even when they are used in a parenthetical citation. Lastly, for web sources you always include "Accessed" followed by the date to indicate what date you accessed the source online. These are small things, but essential. Be sure to check out owl.purdue to check these details.
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