Blood Ark
Lunarca ovalis
Markings and exact colorations may vary.
A stout ribbed ark named for the red blood of the living animal, unusual among clams.
- Typical size
- 1.5–2.5 in
- How often it turns up
- Common
- Collecting
- Usually legal to collect
- Handling
- Safe to handle
Empty valves are free to keep. Live arks should be left in place.
How to tell it apart
- Roughly oval, heavily ribbed valves
- Straight hinge line with many small teeth
- Often stained rusty or dark from sediment
Where to find these in Florida
Beaches rated very good or excellent for shells. Each page shows today’s score, the best window and access details.
- Anclote Key Preserve State Park · Tarpon Springs
- Bean Point · Anna Maria
- Beer Can Island (Greer Island) · Longboat Key
- Boca Grande Public Beach · Boca Grande
- Bowman's Beach · Sanibel
- Captiva Beach · Captiva
- Cayo Costa State Park · Cayo Costa
- Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park · Naples
- Don Pedro Island State Park · Cape Haze
- Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park · St. George Island
- Gasparilla Island State Park · Boca Grande
- Gulfside City Park (Algiers Beach) · Sanibel
Found one?
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