Pacific razor clams View of several Pacific razor clams Siliqua patula dug up on a beach Clams are a family of large bivalved molluscs which generally live in the sand near shorelines They move by burrowing through the sand with a long muscular foot which protrudes from the end of their shell lower centre They feed by siphoning small particles of plankton through a mouth between the two shell halves When threatened they can draw the foot in and close the two halves of the shell tightly They are dug up for use as seafood and are commonly eaten raw or made into thick soups chowder Their soft bodies are also used as bait by fishermen