1. Seafood Profiles
  2. West Coast Venus Clams

West Coast Venus Clams

Chione californiensis, Chione undatella

Chione californiensis and Chione undatella are two species of venus clams found on the west coast of North America. There is no established fishery for venus clams in California, but ongoing research identifies aquaculture potential for the species.

Photo by Theresa Talley

THE SCIENCE

 

Photograph by Joop Trausel and Frans Slieker [4]
Photograph by Joop Trausel and Frans Slieker

Taxonomic description

  • Mean (±1SD) length 2.94 ± 0.22 cm; maximum length of around 6.35 cm. [1]
  • Color range varies, including white, ivory, gray, pale pink. [4]
  • Radiating bands and very closely spaced radial and concentric ridges (C. californiensis and C. undatella, though C. undatella ridges are more closely spaced). [1]

Distribution

  • From Point Conception, Santa Barbara County, California (lat. 34°25'N) to Panama. Few findings of Chione all the way down in Peru from limited records. [1]
  • Most relatively abundant clam in the intertidal zone in some sites along the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur. [3]

Life history

  • Actively spawns in warmer months (June to September) with a peak in August when temperatures are near 29°C. [3]
  • Gametogenesis is directly related to variations in temperature; the frequency of spawning individuals increases with rising temperature and vice versa. [3]
  • External fertilization; Gametogenic progression in male and female clams is categorized by five stages: inactive, gametogenesis, ripe, spawning and spent. [3,7]
  • Embryos develop into free-swimming trocophore larvae, succeeded by the bivalve veliger resembling a miniature clam. [5]
  • The size at first maturity is 57 mm LC for relative species (Chione undatella). [6]
  • Life span of 1-2 years (C. californiensis and C. undatella).

Habitat

  • Predominantly found in the  intertidal zone [2]
  • Higher abundance in areas with fine/very fine sand, or sand-silts with lower abundance in sediment containing clay. [2]
  • On flats of sloughs, coves and bays, primarily in the intertidal zone (as deep as 50 m). 
  • C. californiensis: Ideal temperatures for spawning:  ~ 22-30 ℃; Spawning is interrupted when temperatures fall below 24°C. [3]
  • C. undatella: Species does not grow below 17 ℃ (62.6 °F) with ideal temperature: ~17-24℃ (62.6 - 75.2°F). [15]
  • Gastric content observed to be only phytoplankton. [8]
  • Holocanthus passer angelfish have been known to prey on these clams in Mexico; limited information on other predators. [9]

THE FISHERY

Photo by Eagletusk - Wikimedia Commons [14]
Photo by Eagletusk - Wikimedia Commons [14]

Seasonal availability

  • Available year-round

Regulatory and Managing authority

  • The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) requires clam diggers to have a valid sports fishing license. [10]

Gear type

  • Rakes and shovels are commonly used to dig through the sand. [10]

Status of the fishery

  • There is no established fishery for venus clams in California, but current research identifies aquaculture potential for the species.

Potential ecosystem impacts

  • No potential ecosystem impacts have been identified.

THE SEAFOOD

Photo by El Sargazo [14]
Photo by El Sargazo [11]

Edible portions

  • The entire soft-bodied clam is edible. [12]

Description of meat

  • Firm and sweet. [11]

Culinary uses

  • Most often steamed. [11]
  • Can be included in pastas, soups, or rice. [11]

Nutritional information 

  • No current nutritional information is available.

Toxicity report

  • Venus clams have the potential to naturally accumulate domoic acid toxins, which can be a health hazard for human consumption. [13]
  • The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) also issues consumption advisories based on the amount of mercury or other chemical toxins found in finfish, shellfish and crustaceans. [13]

Seasonal availability

  • Available year-round. [11]

Explore

seafood profiles
Seafood Profiles
fisheries
California Fisheries
aquaculture
California Aquaculture
knife fork
California Seafood

References

[1] Parker, P. 1949. Fossil and Recent Species of the Pelecypod Genera Chione and Securella from the Pacific Coast. Journal of Paleontology, 23(6), 577-593. Retrieved May 13, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1299665 

[2] García-Domínguez F, Arvizu-Martínez J, Rodríguez-Astudillo S,Ramírez-Sevilla R. 1994. Distribución y abundancia de Chione californiensis (Pelecypoda: Veneridae) en la Ensenada de La Paz, Baja California Sur, México. Rev. Biol. Trop. 42(3): 531–536.

[3] García-Domínguez F, García-Melgar G, Gonzalez-Ramirez P. 1992. Reproductive Cycle of the Clam Chione Californiensis (Brodeiup, 1835) in Bahia Magdalena, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Ciencias Marinas. (1993),19(1):15-28. https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/923/845

[4] Baqueiro, E., M. Castagna. 1988. Fishery And Culture Of Selected Bivalves In Mexico: Past, Present And Future. VIMS Articles. 1287. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/1287 

[5] Ruppert, E.E., R.S. Fox and R.D. Barnes. 2004. Invertebrate Zoology. A functional evolutionary approach. 7th Ed. Brooks/Cole, Thomson Learning learning, Inc. 990 

[6] Arce-Peinado, C.A, Arellano-Martínez, M, Ceballos-Vázquez, B.P. 2018. Reproductive cycle of venus clam Chione undatella in the coasts of the Santa Rosalía mining region, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Hidrobiológica [online]. 2018, vol.28, n.3, pp.325-334. Epub 25-Mar-2020. ISSN 0188-8897.  https://doi.org/10.24275/uam/izt/dcbs/hidro/2018v28n3/ceballos. 

[7] Baqueiro, E. y Stuardo, J. 1977. Observaciones sobre la biología, ecología y explotación de Megapitaria aurantiaca (Sow., 1835), M. squalida (Sow., 1835) y Dosinia ponderosa (Gray, 1838) (Bi- valvia: Veneridae) de la Bahía de Zihuatanejo e Isla Ixtapa, Gro., México. An. Centro Cienc. del Mar y Limnol. UNAM, 4(l): 161-208.

[8] Garcia-Dominguez, F., Felix-Pico, E. F., Juarez-Olvera, C. D., & Ibarra, N. R. 1996. Feeding of Chione gnidia (Broderip & Sowerby, 1829), C. undatella (Sowerby, 1835) and C. californiensis (Broderip, 1835) (Veneridae) at Ensenada de La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Retrieved from https://www.infona.pl//resource/bwmeta1.element.elsevier-e66e154d-ee28-31a5-89eb-7a7fef866e17 

[9] Chione californiensis (Broderip, 1835). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Chione-californiensis.html 

[10] Evans, M. (2018, June 5). Fishing for Live Clams on Los Angeles Beaches. USA Today. https://traveltips.usatoday.com/fishing-live-clams-los-angeles-beaches-110443.html 

[11] El Sargazo. (n.d.). Almeja Chione – Sargazo. Sargazo. https://sargazo.com/producto/almeja-chione/ 

[12] Peterson, E., & Ambrosino, G. (2018, September 5). Clams 101: A How-To Guide | Edible Jersey. Edible Jersey. https://ediblejersey.ediblecommunities.com/eat/clams-101-how-guide

[13] California Department of Fish and Wildlife. (2021). Health Advisories and Closures for California Finfish, Shellfish and Crustaceans. California Department of Fish and Wildlife. https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Health-Advisories 
[14] Eagletusk. (2018, May 5). Oregon Coast Clamming. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oregon_Coast_Clamming.jpg

[15] Hatch, B.A.M.. 2012. “The sclerochronology of Donax gouldii and Chione undatella: Environmental archives of the past and present Southern California Bight”. University of California, San Diego. https://escholarship.org/content/qt7vw867wr/qt7vw867wr_noSplash_47ba7a646c4092ac656335e37fbf4cfd.pdf