Asian Clam

At a glance

Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) is an IUCN Least Concern bivalve mollusk regulated in 7 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.

The strictest bag limit is 5 (Missouri); the most generous is 50 (California).

Confirmed by 18,779 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Texas, California, and Pennsylvania the top jurisdictions by observation count.

Notable details

• First recorded in North America in the 1930s, likely introduced as a food source by Asian immigrants.
• A single clam can filter up to 1 liter of water per hour.
• It broods live juveniles internally, releasing thousands of young per year.
• In favorable rivers, densities can exceed 10,000 individuals per square meter.
• Its aggressive filter-feeding can dramatically deplete phytoplankton in invaded waterways.

Where Asian Clam are seen

• Texas2,799 iNat obs
• California2,058 iNat obs
• Pennsylvania1,065 iNat obs
• Ohio1,015 iNat obs
• Alabama995 iNat obs
• North Carolina951 iNat obs

Jurisdictions with rules for Asian Clam

• FloridaUnited States · official source
• MissouriUnited States · official source
• North CarolinaUnited States · official source
• OregonUnited States · official source
• PennsylvaniaUnited States · official source
• TexasUnited States · official source

Background

Corbicula fluminea is a species of freshwater clam, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Cyrenidae. This species is often confused with Corbicula fluminalis due to the two species' similar colour and texture.

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Asian Clam article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.