Donax variabilis
Species of mollusc
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Donax variabilis, known by the common name coquina, is a species of small edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Donacidae, the bean clams. It is a warm water species which occurs in shallow water on sandy beaches on the east coast of the United States and is also plentiful in Mayaro, Trinidad as well as the Caribbean coast of Venezuela. Known as chip-chip in Trinidad and chipi-chipi in Venezuela.
| Donax variabilis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Donax variabilis shells showing some color variation | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Order: | Cardiida |
| Family: | Donacidae |
| Genus: | Donax |
| Species: | D. variabilis |
| Binomial name | |
| Donax variabilis Say, 1822 | |
Distribution
This species occurs on the east coast of the United States, from Cape May, New Jersey to Florida including East Florida, West Florida and the Florida Keys.[1]
Description
Biology
This species lives from the intertidal zone of sandy beaches to a depth of 11 m (36 ft).[4] As most mollusks, the coquina is host to a variety of parasites. On the Atlantic Coast of the United States, studies have shown that coquinas harbour the larval stages (cercariae, sporocysts) of at least three species of digeneans (none of these represents a danger for humans).[5]
Human uses
The coquina is edible and is used to make broth. Some people collect the colorful shells to use for crafts. They are sometimes consumed fried, as a type of fritter, in Trinidad. It is also used in a type of cocktail, with a local culantro flavoured sauce. It's also very popular in a coconut curry with cassava dumplings.
See also
- Donax fossor, a similar species with a more northern distribution
