Clams-Sea Animals

All clams belong to a group of animals called mollusks. Mollusks have soft bodies without any bones. A shell protects their soft bodies. Clams live in water or mud.Clams grow their own shells. They take a chemical called calcium carbonate from the water.

A part of the clam’s body called the mantle makes the clam shell. The mantle is a covering that goes around the clam’s body.There are two parts, or halves, to a clam’s shell. Sometimes the two halves are apart, and so the clam’s shell is open. When there is danger, the clam slams its shell shut.The closed shell protects the clam’s body. It protects the clam’s heart, digestive system, gills, and other organs.

Clams breathe and eat through two tubes called a neck. The tubes carry water. As water flows over the gills, the gills take oxygen from the water.The gills have tiny hairs. The hairs trap bits of food floating in the water. The hairs sweep the food into the clam’s mouth.Clams have one foot. A clam’s foot is not like your foot. It is a thick, muscular organ that sticks out of the shell.