The pullet carpet shell lives burrowed in sand and silty mud. It is a lamellibranch bivalve mollusc that filters water through its 2 siphons (one in and the other out) catching organic matter (detritus) and phytoplankton as food. The gills are two pairs of plates composed of filaments. Clams live on the sandy beaches of the rias (flooded river valleys). Venerupis corrugata is buried in sand, gravel or mud bottoms, usually from the low tide mark to a depth of 40 m. Its sexes are separate, although hermaphrodites can be found infrequently. Reproduction is external and takes places mainly during summer in the wild, and/or on hatcheries. In spring, clams can be artificially conditioned for hatching with higher temperature water and abundant food. The larvae swim freely for 10-15 days before settling as spat of about 0.5 mm on a sand and silty mud substrate. |
