Fri Dec 19 2014 at 20:17:06
I ve been digging, cleaning, cooking and eating Razor Clams for over half a century, but I am not a biologist, so for those interested in detailed scientific and taxonomic information I have provided source links at the end of this article.
Where are the valves on a skeleton?
Their shells are not a pretty shape like the Cowry s, or iridescent like an Abalone s; these are not shells to be prized and displayed on a shelf or held to one s ear to hear the rush of the ocean. The Razor clam s hinged oblong shells, also known as valves, are part of their exoskeleton. The shells are rather flat and flimsy-looking, and the exterior appears to have been applied with a layer of browning shellac. However: the clams inside are damn good eating, and unlike many smaller clams the Razor is cleaned before it is eaten.