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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Home / Aquatic Invasives / Aquatic Invertebrates / Asian Clam

Asian Clam

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Asian clams
Asian clams, adult - Photo by Shawn Liston; Audubon of Florida
Scientific Name: 
Corbicula fluminea (O. F. Müller, 1774) (ITIS)
Common Name: 
Asian clam, Asiatic clam
Native To: 
Asia, Africa, and Australia (Sousa et al. 2008)
Date of U.S. Introduction: 
First discovered in 1938 in Washington State (Foster et al. 2012)
Means of Introduction: 
Possibly imported as a food source (Sousa et al. 2008)
Impact: 
Reproduces in large colonies that can clog waterways and pipes (Foster et al. 2012)
Current U.S. Distribution: 
Widespread throughout freshwater and some estuarine habitats in the U.S.

Spotlights

Invasive Clam Discovered by Sherburne County Youth (Nov 9, 2020)

University of Minnesota Extension.

This past August, a new population of golden clams, Corbicula fluminea, was discovered by twelve-year-old budding conservationist, William Guthrie. The new infestation was found in Briggs Lake (Sherburne County). The discovery of golden clams in Briggs Lake is significant because it is an inland lake with no supplemental heat source. If the clams can survive our winter months, they could also spread and reproduce in additional lakes and rivers. Similar to zebra mussels, infestations of golden clams can clog water intake pipes and alter local ecosystems.

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database: Point Map - Asian Clam
DOI. USGS. Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.
Provides detailed collection information as well as animated map.

Images

Google Images - Asian Clam
Google.

Videos

YouTube - Asian Clams

Google. YouTube; Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Fish & Wildlife Department.

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source. Or, to display all related content view all resources for Asian Clam.

Council or Task Force
Fact Sheet: Asian Clam (Jan 2018) (PDF | 2.21 MB)

Alberta Invasive Species Council (Canada).

See also: Fact Sheets for more information about individual invasive species, including those listed as "Prohibited Noxious" and "Noxious" under the Alberta Weed Control Act

Partnership
Global Invasive Species Database - Corbicula fluminea (mollusc)
IUCN. Species Survival Commission. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Invaders Factsheet: Asian Clam
Ontario's Invading Species Awareness Program (Canada).
Invasive Species - Asian Clam
Finger Lakes Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (New York).
Invasive Species Compendium - Corbicula fluminea
CAB International.
NEANS Panel Online Guide - Asian Clam
Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel.
New York Invasive Species Information - Asian Clam

New York Invasive Species Clearinghouse.

Species Information Sheets - Asian Clam
Michigan State University. Midwest Invasive Species Information Network.
Texas Invasives Database - Corbicula fluminea
TexasInvasives.org.
Federal Government
Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) Ecological Risk Screening Summary (Jul 2015) (PDF | 729 KB)

DOI. Fish and Wildlife Service.

See also: Ecological Risk Screening Summaries for more species summaries

GLANSIS - Asian Clam

DOC. NOAA. Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory; DOI. USGS. Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.

National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System (NEMESIS) - Corbicula fluminea
Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Marine Invasions Research Lab.
Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database: Fact Sheet - Asian Clam
DOI. USGS. Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.
Provides distribution maps and collection information (State and County).
State and Local Government
Environmental Fact Sheet: Asian Clams (2019) (PDF | 618 KB)

New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.

See also: Publications - Invasive for more resources

Freshwater Aquatic Invasive Species in Rhode Island: Asian Clam (Nov 2017) (PDF | 1.79 MB)

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Office of Water Resources.

See also: Aquatic Invasive Animals for species of concern

Asian Clam
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
Academic
Factsheet: Asian Clam
Pennsylvania State University. Pennsylvania Sea Grant.
See also: Aquatic Invasive Species: Resources for additional species information
Invasive Species Guide - Asiatic Clam
University of Wisconsin Sea Grant.
Invasive Species Information: Asian Clam
Paul Smith's College (New York). Adirondack Watershed Institute.
Professional
Asian Clams - Lake George Fact Sheet No. 53 (Feb 2014) (PDF | 143 KB)
Fund for Lake George (New York).
Invasive Species in the Lake George Watershed: Invasive Asian Clams
Lake George Association (New York).

Citations