The dog cockle lives just below the surface of gravelly and sandy seabeds, out beyond the low tide mark and out to depths of 100m. It has a thick, round, clam-like shell covered with brick-red concentric markings on a pale background. They are spectacularly long-lived, reaching the grand old age of 100! We know this by counting the growth lines in their shell - much like you can count the growth rings of a tree!
How to identify
A fairly smooth, clam-like shell, creamy in colour and densely flecked with brick-red, zigzag markings. They have 6-12 teeth on the inside of the shell.
Distribution
Found around the south and west coasts of the UK.
Did you know?
Dog cockles are a seafood delicacy in European countries and are called 'Amandes de mer' by the French, meaning 'Sea Almonds' because they have a sweet, almond-like taste. Yum!
