In which habitat are soft-shell clams most commonly found?

• A. Open ocean pelagic zone
• B. Mudflats, intertidal
• C. Deep sea cold seeps
• D. Rocky intertidal pools

Answer: (B)

Soft-shell clams thrive where soft, sediment-rich ground is available in the intertidal zone. They live buried in mud or fine sand and filter feed as tides come in, so mudflats in the intertidal area provide the right substrate and repeated tidal flushing they rely on. They aren’t adapted to living in the open ocean water column, deep-sea environments, or rocky substrates where burrowing is difficult or impossible. That makes mudflats in the intertidal zone their most common habitat.