Atlantic giant cockle

Range/Geographical Distribution: North Carolina to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.

Habitat: Shallow waters along the coast including beaches, bays, and estuaries.

Description: A large, heart-shaped shell that is yellow on the outside with red/brown marks and pink on the inside.

Size: Can reach five inches in width.

Food: Filter feeder; eats plankton and detritus.

Predators: Fish and birds.

Conservation Status: No legal status.

Interesting Facts: Uses its strong foot to bury in the sand where it will sit and filter out plankton and detritus from the water column.

On the Coast: Cockle shells often wash up on Georgia’s beaches but both sides are rarely still connected.