The common piddock is a burrowing bivalve that bores into soft rock and clay along the coastlines of Europe, using the rasping edges of its own shell to slowly grind out a tunnel it lives in for its entire adult life. Once inside, it cannot leave its burrow, growing larger as it digs deeper and feeding by drawing in seawater through a pair of long siphons that reach up to the burrow's opening. Piddocks and their burrows are frequently exposed in eroding cliffs and rock platforms, and their tunnels remain visible in rock long after the animal itself is gone.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.