California butterclam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids California butterclam |
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The California butterclam or Washington clam (scientific name: Saxidomus nuttalli) is a large, edible clam that lives in saltwater. It is a type of bivalve mollusk, meaning it has two shells hinged together. This clam belongs to the family called Veneridae, also known as the venus clams.
You can find these clams along the west coast of North America. Their home stretches from northern California all the way down to Baja California in Mexico. These clams are quite big, growing up to about 15 centimeters (about 6 inches) long. People often collect them for food.
Clams in History
Long ago, the Chumash people, who are Native Americans living on the central California coast, collected these clams. They started harvesting them at least as early as a time known as the Millingstone Horizon. This was a period when people used tools to grind seeds.
The shells of the California butterclam were very important to the local native peoples. They even used these shells as a form of currency, which means they traded them like money!
