Hard clam

The hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria), also known as a quahog (or quahaug), round clam, or hard-shell (or hard-shelled) clam, is an edible marine bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America, from Prince Edward Island to the Yucatán Peninsula. It is one of many unrelated edible bivalves that in the United States are frequently referred to simply as clams, as in the expression "clam digging". Older literature sources may use the systematic name Venus mercenaria; this species is in the family Veneridae, the venus clams.

Confusingly, the "ocean quahog" is a different species, Arctica islandica, which, although superficially similar in shape, is in a different family of bivalves: it is rounder than the hard clam, usually has black periostracum, and there is no pallial sinus in the interior of the shell.

Alternative names

The hard clam has many alternative common names. It is also known as the Northern quahog, round clam, or chowder clam.

Quahog (disambiguation)

Quahog is a common name for the hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria) and may also refer to:

  • Arctica islandica, the ocean quahog
  • North Kingstown, Rhode Island, nicknamed "Quahog County" by its residents
  • Quahog, Rhode Island, the fictional setting of the animated sitcom Family Guy
  • Family Guy

    Family Guy is an American adult animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian. The show is set in the fictional city of Quahog, Rhode Island, and exhibits much of its humor in the form of cutaway gags that often lampoon American culture.

    The family was conceived by MacFarlane after developing two animated films, The Life of Larry and Larry & Steve. MacFarlane redesigned the films' protagonist, Larry, and his dog, Steve, and renamed them Peter and Brian, respectively. MacFarlane pitched a seven-minute pilot to Fox in 1998, and the show was greenlit and began production. Shortly after the third season of Family Guy had aired in 2002, Fox canceled the series, with one episode left unaired. Adult Swim burned off the episode in 2003, finishing the series' original run. However, favorable DVD sales and high ratings for syndicated reruns on Adult Swim convinced the network to renew the show in 2004 for a fourth season, which began airing on May 1, 2005.

    Podcasts:

    PLAYLIST TIME:

    Cuyahoga

    by: R.E.M.

    Let's put our heads together to start a new country up
    Our father's father's father tried, erased the parts he didn't like
    Let's try to fill it in, bank the quarry river, swim
    We knee-skinned it you and me, we knee-skinned that river red
    This is where we walked, this is where we swam
    Take a picture here, take a souvenir
    This land is the land of ours, this river runs red over it
    We knee-skinned it you and me, we knee-skinned that river red
    And we gathered up our friends, bank the quarry river, swim
    We knee-skinned it you and me, underneath the river bed
    This is where we walked, this is where we swam
    Take a picture here, take a souvenir
    Cuyahoga
    Cuyahoga, gone
    Let's put our heads together and start a new country up
    Underneath the river bed we burned the river down
    This is where they walked, swam, hunted, danced and sang
    Take a picture here, take a souvenir
    Cuyahoga
    Cuyahoga, gone
    Rewrite the book and rule the pages, saving face, secured in faith
    Bury, burn the waste behind you
    This land is the land of ours, this river runs red over it
    We are not your allies, we can not defend
    This is where they walked, this is where they swam
    Take a picture here, take a souvenir
    Cuyahoga
    Cuyahoga, gone
    Cuyahoga




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