Illustration of Mercenaria mercenaria (Hard Clam)
The Atlantic Rangia or wedge clam Rangia cuneata originates from the Gulf of Mexico. From there this bivalve colonized the Atlantic coast of North-America and Europe. The species mainly live in estuaries, brackish and freshwater. In ports, the Atlantic Rangia can become a pest as it establishes itself in industrial cooling pipes where it can obstruct optimal water flow