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| Asian clam Credit: Emily Debolt, Lake George Association |
Corbicula fluminea
History:
- First confirmed report in North America was in 1938 in the Columbia River drainage
- Since then Asian clams have become widely distributed especially in the southern United States
Characteristics:
- Shells greenish-yellow to brown with thick concentric rings
- Thick symmetrical shell
- Up to 2 inches (5 cm) long
- Inside of shell is smooth and polished with a light purple tinge
- Three cardinal teeth in each valve
Habitat:
- Large rivers and lakes
- Clams burrow prefer sandy or silty sediments into which they burrow up to 6-8 inches
Known Distribution:
- Widely distributed in southern and western United States, in the Great Lakes and in southern New England
- Discovered in 2010 in Lake George, NY in the Champlain basin
Impacts:
- Clogging of power plant and industrial water systems, irrigation canals and pipes and drinking water supplies
- Competes with native species for limited resources
- May promote algae blooms due to localized nutrient loading from dense clam beds (observed in Lake Tahoe, CA)
Common Vector(s):
Aquarium releaseBait releaseOverland transport (e.g. boats, equipment)
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| Asian clam Credit: Emily Debolt, Lake George Assocation |