Atactodea striata

Atactodea is the abundant, small, relatively strongly concentrically ribbed mesodesmatid.^[1]

Found in atoll lagoons throughout the Indo-Pacific including Madagascar, India, Viet Nam, China, Philippines, Tarawa, Malaysia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Tuvalu, Fiji, Japan (up to Kii Peninsula, Honshu), and Vanuatu.^[2] It has been introduced in the Mediterranean Sea in the areas of Israel and Malta.^[3][4]

Found in sandy substrates in the intertidal zone.^[5][6] This small surf clam may occur in abundance on high intertidal lagoon beaches.^[7]

These clams are readily available by foraging the inshore tidal flats, mangroves and rocks. Archeological evidence indicates that Atactodea striata were used as a subsistence food by the Lapita, a Neolithic people of the South Pacific, at least as early as 4,700 years ago.^[5] They are among the most common bivalves found in 2000 year-old shell middens in Papua New Guinea^[8] and in more recent shell middens in Australia.^[9] Called "Alure" in South Vanuatu Languages, Atactodea striata is harvested by the indigenous people of Vanuatu as a minor subsistence food. Atactodea striata is harvested, mostly by women, by gleaning intertidal zones. Women fishers walk the shoreline and shallows collecting Atactodea along with a variety of other common clams, bivalves, crabs, chitons, sea slugs, anemone and octopus.^[10] On Tarawa, indigenous people harvest Atactodea striata as a preferred baby food because of its small size.^[7]