An eye-catching clam on Oregon beaches is drawing attention for an unusual reason. Its shell looks plain brown on the outside, but inside it flashes a vivid purple.
As creator Jacob Colvin (@jake.pnw) shared in a new video, the striking color belongs to the purple varnish clam, an invasive species.
What's happening?
Colvin highlighted the purple varnish clam on TikTok, showing how it disappears into wet sand and why it looks different from native shells beachgoers might expect to find.
@jake.pnw You Won't Believe This Purple Clam Is Invasive! 😱🟣 This is a purple varnish clam (Nuttallia obscurata). It isn't native to Oregon. It was introduced from Asia and has spread along the Pacific Northwest. Its shiny brown shell hides a surprise. Open it up and you'll find a beautiful purple interior that gives this clam its name. They don't just sit on the surface either. Purple varnish clams use a muscular foot to burrow into wet sand, leaving only tiny openings or siphons exposed while they filter food from the water. They're now so common in Oregon that the daily harvest limit is 72 clams per person. Have you ever found one of these purple clams? #education #learning #animals #nature #oregoncoast ♬ original sound - Jacob Colvin
Using small holes in the sand as a warning sign, the creator tells viewers that digging there can bring up one of the clams.
"You might end up pulling out something unexpected like this," the creator says before revealing the animal and adding, "you might think this clam doesn't look purple, but it's what's on the inside that counts."
In the caption, the animal is identified as the purple varnish clam, or Nuttallia obscurata, a species introduced from Asia that later spread through the Pacific Northwest.
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The post also says the clam burrows with "a muscular foot to burrow into wet sand" and feeds while only small siphon openings stay above the surface.
"This little tongue like thing is Kylie's foot," Colvin explains while showing how it burrows. "She uses it to soften up the sand and pull herself back down."
The caption adds the clams have become common enough in Oregon that people can legally harvest up to 72 per day.
One commenter asked, "hey live deep under the sand like that? What do they eat down there?"
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The answer is filter feeding, as a commenter responded and Colvin noted in the video.
Why does it matter?
Invasive species can make conservation more difficult because they reshape habitats faster than ecosystems and communities can adapt. Even when a species appears beautiful or harmless, its spread can signal that native coastal systems are under pressure.
A nonnative species becoming common enough to support a 72-clam-per-person daily harvest limit shows how firmly established it is. All the clam holes in the beach in Colvin's video drive home just how many of these invaders there are.
When invasive species gain a foothold, they can complicate efforts to protect biodiversity and maintain balance in coastal environments.
What can I do?
Knowing the species' appearance can make it easier to identify, especially its shiny outer shell and bright purple interior.
Oregon's current shellfishing rules allow for a robust harvest, and the rules might be a win-win for seafood enthusiasts. Eating invasive species is often a productive way to handle an ecological problem.
Shane's Outdoor Fun said purple varnish clams make for a delicious treat in the conventional preparation style of other clams, which the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife also backed.
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