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Expert digger
Razor clams are well suited for a life
in the sand, where they have the ability to dig
very well. If a Razor clam should find itself on the sediment surface,
it can dig downwards so fast that it would difficult to dig fast enough
to catch it. Digging is accomplished by using its foot that sticks out
of the shells front end. The foot expands and contracts, so, like a wedge,
force its way down through the sand. When the clam has dug down far enough,
the adductor muscle relaxes. The clam pushes its shell apart and compacts
the sand so it becames harder. After that, the foot is filled with blood
so it expands to a sort of anchor. When the clam then pulls together its
longitudinal foot muscles, the clam is pressed downwards. If the clam
wants to go upwards towards the surface, it presses the sand with its
foot, forcing the shell upwards.
It took 15 minutes for the Razor clam pictured below to dig
down into the coarse gravel. Sometimes they can dig down much faster,
a Razor clam has been observed fleeing into the sand in 15 sceconds. 
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