Dwarf Surf Clams
Mulinia lateralis (Say, 1822)
Family Mactridae
The first Dwarf Surf Clams I collected on S. Hutchinson Island where .5" clams with striped pastel colors- the back was chalky white. Below is a photo of this color of dwarf surfclam:
Five pastel Dwarf surfclams from S. Hutchinson Island- October, 2020
After collecting about 60 of these shells I began finding larger surfclams (Southern Surf Clams) in a variety of colors. At other beaches I found other slightly different colors of Dwarf Surf Clams. The shell shape is somewhat variable:
Two Dwarf Surfclams from another beach on S. Hutchinson Island
Dwarf Surfclams, Mulinia lateralis (Say, 1822) are a small white or pastel clams that may reach .7" in length. Surf clams belong to the family Mactridae, and one of the main features that distinguish them from other local bivalves is the presence of an internal ligament. The ligament is the brownish structure near the shell beak that, acting as a spring, helps keep the shell valves slightly ajar when the clam is relaxed. Dwarf Surf Clams have their beaks in a central position, and a ridge on the posterior region of the shell. Shells of this species have been found in large numbers by local collectors on Sanibel and Captiva during the 2018–19 Winter Season.