Stout Razor Clam (Tagelus plebius) The stout razor clam is found, for the most part, on bayside mudflats from Massachusetts southward. As with many cold water mollusks, an outer organic layer, the periostracum, protects the shell from eroding or dissolving. The flaky brown edging in the photo is what remains of this clam's periostracum. The stout razor clam can burrow very quickly into the sand, and once settled, it sends a pair of separate siphons up to the surface of the sand, one to draw in water and food particles, the other to expell water.

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