Clams breathe like fish
 Q: How do mussels breathe? --class 423, NY, NY
A: Clams breathe through gills much like fish. A mussel (commonly called a clam) consists mostly of a
long brownish dual-purpose muscular foot. The animal moves via its foot and anchors itself to something
substantial with the foot: a rock, ship, or dock. When the mussel lies underwater, its foot sticks out
between its two hinged shells.
[Alabama Department of Conservation] Wartyback mussel, up to 3 inches long.
On each side of the foot is a pair of large, thin, dual-purpose gills. Gill hairs flail the water so it loops
through the mussel's body. The lashing hairs pull water into the hind end of the body, through the gill
plates, and back out through the rear. The gills mine the watery matter as it passes by for oxygen and food. That's how it breathes (and
eats)-with gills.
These ultimate scavengers keep water so clean that visitors to a marine biological center in Scotland have stuck their faces into a tank-not
realizing it holds water-to get a closer look at animals on the tank's bottom. Their faces come up dripping.
(Answered by April Holladay, science correspondent, Apr. 3, 2002)
Further Surfing:
Missouri Conservationist: Missouri's freshwater mussels
Alabama Dept. of Conservation: Freshwater mussels
International Wildlife Encyclopedia edited by Maurice Burton and Robert Burton.
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