coquina (clam)

Any clam of the genus Donax, inhabiting sandy beaches worldwide. Coquinas are very active; they migrate up and down beaches with the tide and can reburrow between waves. They have short siphons and feed on suspended plant material and detritus. A typical species, D. variabilis, measures about 0.4–1 in. (10–25 mm) in length. Its shell is wedge-shaped and varies from white, yellow, and pink to blue and mauve.