What are cockles?
Q: What are cockles?
A: Cockles are small, edible, saltwater clams that belong to the family Cardiidae.
Q: Where are cockles commonly found?
A: Cockles are very common on sandy sheltered beaches throughout the world.
Q: What do cockle shells look like?
A: The distinctive rounded shells of cockles are symmetrical and are heart-shaped when viewed from the end. In most genera, there are numerous radial ribs (ridges on the shell), while the genus Laevicardium, the egg cockles, have very smooth shells.
Q: How do cockles feed?
A: Cockles feed by filtering plankton from the surrounding water.
Q: How do cockles burrow?
A: Cockles burrow using their foot.
Q: Are there other bivalves that are called cockles?
A: Yes, the common name "cockle" is also given to a number of other small edible bivalves which have a somewhat similar shape, but belong to other families such as the Veneridae (Venus clams) and the Arcidae (ark clams).
Q: What are some characteristics of true cockles that distinguish them from other bivalves called "cockles"?
A: Cockles in the family Cardiidae are sometimes known as "true cockles" in order to distinguish them from other species. True cockles have three openings (inhalant, exhalant, and pedal) in their mantle for siphoning water and for the foot to stick out. They are capable of "jumping" by bending and straightening the foot, and some species reach maturity quickly.
