NE Pacific Razor clams, Siliqua patula, have been placed in the Family
Pharidae. There are extensive recreational fisheries along the sandy coasts
of WA and ORE.

We have a commercial fishery, intertidal digging, for razor calms on the
surf-beaten north beaches of the Queen Charlotte Islands. Harvesters look
for "shows" in the sand and use a special shovel ("clam gun" ) to quickly
dig thme out without breaking the shell.

In recent years, there have been many closures to the harvest of razors, due
to the ingestion of planktonic diatoms that produce domoic acid, the cause
of "amnesic shellfish poisoning" illnesses.

Most other NE Pacific jacknife clams are in the F. Solenidae.

Rick Harbo
Nanaimo, B.C. Canada


----- Original Message -----
From: "Linda Bush" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2002 10:49 AM
Subject: Razor Clams


> Good afternoon!
>
> I have been working with several species of "razor clams," with the
generic names Ensis, Solen, and Pharus (there may be one more.   I am
interested in their biology.   I assume they are filter feeders, and their
fragility may indicate that they live almost completely buried in the sand.
But all this is conjecture.   Can someone enlighten me on this interesting
group.
>
> Thanks,
> Linda
>