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Dieren en planten

Bivalves   Jackknife clams   Razor shells   Fauna in tidal areas   Benthic fauna   Razor shells   Bivalves   

Razor shells

size:

up to 20 centimeters

color:

brownish

food:

phytoplankton

enemies:

some birds, people

reproduction:

sexual

  • Dut: Zwaardscheden en mesheften
  • Lat: Ensis
  • Eng: Razor shells
  • Ger: Scheidenmuschelmn
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American Jack knife clam, Ecomare

Razor shells

Razor shells (called jackknife or razor clam by the fishermen) is a collective term for various species of shellfish, the most important ones being the giant razor clam and the American, the pod, the grooved and the common razor shell. On the beach, you find the American razor clam the most often. This animal only needs 15 seconds to bury itself completely in the bottom!  There are some fishermen experimenting with fishing razor shells commercially.

  • Distribution and habitat

    The American razor clam is the most commonly found razor clam in Europe nowadays. Here it is found between France and Denmark. It is often seen in shallow water, in the Wadden Sea or along the North Sea beach. It lives around 50 centimeters deep, in a vertical position in the bottom.

  • Invasion of the American razor clam
    Massive amount of razor shells on the beach, Sytske Dijksen, www.fotofitis.nl

    Larvae from the American razor clam or curved jackknife entered European waters via ballast water from a ship in Hamburg in 1979. From there, this species spread out quickly in the direction of the Dutch wadden region. The animal appeared in 1982 on the tidal flats near Schiermonnikoog. In 1984, the first American jackknife was found on the beaches of Texel and in 1985 in the delta region. Presently, this shellfish is found from France to Denmark. The shellfish lives mostly in deeper channels on the tidal flats and just behind the surf in front of the North Sea coast. This species has partially displaced the original razor shell species and is now the most common species.

  • Sword razor
    Sword razor, Ecomare
    • Dut: Grote zwaardschede
    • Lat: Ensis arcuatus
    • Eng: Sword razor
    • Ger: Schwertförmige Scheidenmuschel
    • Den: Ensis arcuatus
  • American Jackknife clam (American razor shell)
    American razor shell, Ecomare
    • Dut: Amerikaanse zwaardschede
    • Lat: Ensis americanus (Ensis directus)
    • Eng: American Jack knife clam (American razor-shell)
    • Ger: Amerikanische Schwertmuschel
    • Dan: Amerikansk knivmusling
  • Pod razor shell
    Schotenmuschel, Ecomare
    • Dut: Tafelmesheft
    • Lat: Ensis siliqua
    • Eng: Pod razor shell
    • Ger: Schotenmuschel
  • Narrow jackknife clam
    Kleine Schwertmuschel, Ecomare
    • Dut: Klein tafelmesheft (scheermes)
    • Lat: Ensis minor
    • Eng: Narrow jackknife clam (razor shell)
    • Ger: Kleine Schwertmuschel (Meerscheide)
    • Fra: Couteau