Bivalves

Santa Catalina Island, CA
Nuculana hamata
(Carpenter, 1864)
Hooked Nutclam
subtidal, 30-550m size to 12mm
northern Mexico to southern Alaska
It is small and is distinguished by
its very long, curved rostrum.
(previous names - Leda hamata, L.h. limata)

Nuculanidae

off central Oregon coast
Nuculana cellulita (Dall, 1896)
Fine-Lined Nutclam
subtidal, 30-146m north Oregon to south Alaska size to 16mm
This small shell has a short, blunt rostrum and strong commarginal ribs. It can be distinguished from N. minuta by the lack of a marginal ridge on the escutcheon and more tightly spaced commarginal ribs. This specimen was found ex pisce.
(previous name - Leda cellulita)

both - San Juan Islands, WA
Nuculana minuta Müller, 1776
Minute Nutclam
subtidal, 4 - 1900m size to 18mm
Panarctic and circumboreal, reaching to southern California, Japan, Maine & Scotland
It is very small and is distinguished by its truncated rostrum, widely spaced commarginal ribs and shiny yellow to dark brown periostracum.
(previous names - Arca minuta, Leda minuta [various forms])

Nuculidae

San Juan Islands, WA
Acila castrensis (Hinds, 1843)
Divaricate Nutclam
subtidal, 5-400m size to 20mm
northern Mexico to the Bering Sea and off the Kamchatka peninsula
It is small and distinguished by its divaricate sculpture. The periostracum is dull and light olive
to dark brown. The teeth protrude prominently
from the shell.
(synonyms - Nucula castrensis, N. divaricata,
Acila beringiana)

Huxleyia munita (Dall, 1898)
Minute Nucinellid
subtidal, 70-750m size to 3mm
north Mexico to north Washington
This tiny shell has a dark brown, shiny periostracum and a plump shape. This specimen was found ex pisce.
(synonyms - Cyrilla munita, Nucula petriola)

off northwest Washington coast
Nuculana conceptionis (Dall, 1896)
California Nutclam
subtidal, 300-2300m size to 30mm
south California to central Alaska
This species has a more slender and elongated appearance than the other Nuculana. This specimen was found ex pisce.
(previous name - Leda conceptionis)

off central Washington coast
Nuculana leonina (Dall, 1896)
Lion Nutclam
subtidal, 350-2500m size to 25mm
south California to central Alaska & west to Kamtchatka
The rostrum is long and broad. The commarginal ribs are widely spaced. The dark periostracum wears off easily. This specimen was found ex pisce.
(previous name - Leda leonina)

off central Oregon coast off WA or OR coast

Nuculana navisa (Dall, 1916)
Ship Nutclam
subtidal, 46-420m south California to south Alaska size to 16mm
This small shell has a long, broad, curved rostrum and widely spaced commarginal ribs which fade out posteriorly. The escutcheon is well-defined. Both pictured specimens were found ex pisce.
(previous name - Leda navisa)

Barkley Sound, BC
Saccella penderi (Dall & Bartsch, 1910)
Sharp-point Nutclam
subtidal, 20-500m size to 15mm
central Mexico to SE Alaska
This shell is plump with a sharply pointed rostrum. The periostracum is dull to silky.
Photographed shell is not a matched pair.
(previous names - Nuculana penderi, Leda penderi, Nuculana acuta)

Kodiak Island, AK
Nuculana pernula (Müller, 1779)
Northern Nutclam
subtidal, 20-1400m size to 25mm
panarctic & circumboreal, reaching south to central California, Japan, Massachusetts & Norway
It is small and is distinguished by closely spaced, fine commarginal lines. It has a light olive to black periostracum.
(previous names - Arca pernula, Leda pernula, Leda pernula radiata)

off south coast Washington
Ennucula tenuis (Montagu, 1808)
Smooth Nutclam
subtidal, 10-900m size to 17mm
circumboreal and Arctic ocean, reaches south to southern
California, Florida, Mediterranean, and northern Japan
The periostracum is light olive to dark brown and the shell is smooth. This specimen was found ex pisce.
(previous name - Nucula tenuis)

Click on photo to enlarge. Scale line in photo equals 1cm unless otherwise specified.
* Species which are commonly encountered on the beach.

Family Nucinellidae,

Nuculidae & Nuculanidae