Venus Clams of Southwest Florida
- José H. Leal
- May 2
- 1 min read
There are more than 20 species of Venus clams (family Veneridae) living in shallow water along the coast of Southwest Florida; here are 14 of them: 1 – Pointed Venus (Anomalocardia cuneimeris); 2 – Florida Cross-barred Venus (Chione elevata); 3 – Lady-in-waiting Venus (Chionopsis intapurpurea); 4 – Atlantic Petricolid (Choristodon robustus); 5 – Thin Cyclinella (Cyclinella tenuis); 5 – Elegant Dosinia (Dosinia concentrica); 7 – Disk Dosinia (Dosinia discus); 8 – Imperial Venus (Lirophora varicosa); 9 – Calico Clam (Megapitaria maculata); 10 – Southern Quahog (Mercenaria campechiensis); 11 – Northern Quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria); 12 – Sunray Venus (Macrocallista nimbosa); 13 – Gray Pigmy Venus (Chioneryx grus); 14 – False Angel Wing (Petricolaria pholadiformis). The individual photos are not at the same scale. Click on each scientific name to see the relevant entries and the differences among them in our Southwest Florida Shells guide.
That’s really fascinating! Last year when I visited Southwest Florida, I actually tried shell collecting for the first time. It was amazing to realize how many different types of clams existed on just one stretch of beach. I ended up chatting about seashell identification and local wildlife with people from all over the world using Omegle—it’s a surprisingly fun way to get tips and share experiences in real time.
I really enjoyed reading about the different types of Venus clams in Southwest Florida! Last year, I visited Sanibel Island and spent hours shelling on the beach—it was fascinating to see so many unique shells, though I didn’t realize there were so many species of Venus clams specifically. By the way, if you're interested in relaxing games related to collecting or managing items, you might like playing Monkey Mart. It reminded me of sorting shells!
I'm amazed by the diversity of Venus clams in Southwest Florida! As someone who enjoys beachcombing, I've only encountered a few of these species. The Sunray Venus is particularly beautiful with its distinctive coloring. This guide is so helpful for identification. When I'm not at the beach, I often relax with Slope Game online, which ironically has fluid movements that remind me of waves washing these shells ashore.
There are more than 20 species of Venus clams (family Veneridae) living in shallow water along the coast of Southwest Florida; here are 14 of them: 1 – Pointed Venus (Anomalocardia cuneimeris); 2 – Florida Cross-barred Venus (Chione elevata spanish dictionary); 3 – Lady-in-waiting Venus (Chionopsis intapurpurea);
This is fascinating! The sheer variety of Venus clams in Southwest Florida is quite impressive. I wonder what factors contribute to such a high concentration of different species in this particular region? These tiny shells must be the inspiration for someone's Eggy Car.