Ensis directus Conrad, 1843
American jack knife clam
American razor shell
Ensis directus
photo by Harvey-Clark, Chris

Family:  Pharidae ()
Max. size:  26 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthic; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 73 m
Distribution:  Western Atlantic Ocean: from Nova Scotia, Canada to Florida and southern Gulf of Mexico to Campeche, Mexico. Introduced in the Northeast Atlantic from UK (England and Wales), the North Sea to southern Norway and southern Baltic Sea to Spain in the southern Bay of Biscay. Tropical to temperate.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Comprise communities and assemblages throughout the Mid-Atlantic Bight (Ref. 80354). Inhabits littoral and sublittoral sediment (Ref. 1314). Found in areas influenced by estuarine outflows (Ref. 96507). Swims backward (Ref. 80328).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans: 
Country info:  Probably introduced as free swimming larvae with ballast water (Ref. 80347). Known from Frisian Islands (Ref. 114889). C: Ref. 80347, 114889.

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