Saxidomus nuttalli is a species of large edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Veneridae, the venus clams.[1] Common names include California butterclam[1] and Washington clam.[2]
This clam is native to the west coast of North America, its distribution extending from northern California to Baja California.[2]
This is a commercially exploited species that attains a length of approximately 15 cm.[3]
This species was harvested by Chumash peoples on the central California coast, at least as early as the Millingstone Horizon.[4] The shells were used as currency by local native peoples.[2]