Mollusks & shellfish of Ocean City & Assateague

12 starter species curated for visitors—not every bay mollusk. Likelihood stars rate how often a typical visitor might notice the species around OC / Assateague MD (1 rare · 5 common). Always check Maryland shellfish harvest closures before collecting or eating wild shellfish.

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Coquina Clam Donax variabilis · Bivalve · ★★★★★ Tiny colorful clams of the swash zone, a kids’ favorite beach find on Ocean City and Assateague. Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica · Bivalve · ★★★★★ Maryland’s reef-building shellfish. Filter-feeders of the coastal bays and the heart of Ocean City’s raw-bar culture. Hard Clam Mercenaria mercenaria · Bivalve · ★★★★★ The classic Mid-Atlantic quahog, from littlenecks to chowders on menus, with live clams buried in bay sand around Ocean City. Atlantic Surfclam Spisula solidissima · Bivalve · ★★★★☆ Large ocean clam of Mid-Atlantic sands. Common empty shells on Ocean City beaches and a major commercial species offshore. Blue Mussel Mytilus edulis · Bivalve · ★★★★☆ Dark blue-black mussels of jetties, pilings, and rocky patches. Steam-pot staples and Inlet tide-pool life. Channeled Whelk Busycotypus canaliculatus · Gastropod / snail · ★★★★☆ Large predatory sea snail of Mid-Atlantic bays and beaches. Empty shells and egg-case “necklaces” are classic Assateague finds. Knobbed Whelk Busycon carica · Gastropod / snail · ★★★★☆ Heavy, knobby Mid-Atlantic whelk. Another big shell on Assateague beaches and a clam predator of the bays. Northern Moon Snail Neverita duplicata · Gastropod / snail · ★★★★☆ Smooth “shark eye” shells of Mid-Atlantic beaches. Predatory snails that leave neat drill holes in clam shells. Soft-shell Clam Mya arenaria · Bivalve · ★★★★☆ Steamers of New England fame, also dug from Mid-Atlantic mudflats, including Maryland’s coastal bays. Atlantic Razor Clam Ensis leei · Bivalve · ★★★☆☆ Long, straight “jackknife” shells of Mid-Atlantic sands. Fast diggers that leave rectangular siphon shows on flats. Atlantic Sea Scallop Placopecten magellanicus · Bivalve · ★★★☆☆ The big commercial scallop of Mid-Atlantic and New England waters. More likely on a dinner plate or trawler than an Assateague walk. Longfin Squid Doryteuthis pealeii · Cephalopod · ★★★☆☆ Fast Mid-Atlantic squid of bays and nearshore waters. Bait, calamari, and night lights around Ocean City’s fishing fleet.