# Common cockle (*Cerastoderma edule*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-cockle  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The common cockle (Cerastoderma edule) is a mollusc in the class Bivalvia, order Cardiida and family Cardiidae. It belongs to the subfamily Lymnocardiinae, tribe Cerastodermatini and genus Cerastoderma, within the superfamily Cardioidea and the phylum Mollusca. The species was named by (Linnaeus, 1758) and is listed as living, not extinct, by the Catalogue of Life. Other English names for it are Cockle, Edible cockle, Common edible cockle and Common European cockle.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | up to 6 cm |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | marine |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Not recorded |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Mollusca
- class: Bivalvia
- order: Cardiida
- family: Cardiidae
- genus: Cerastoderma
- species: *Cerastoderma edule* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Cardium belgicum*, *Cardium crenulatum*, *Cardium edule*, *Cardium edule*, *Cardium edule burchanae*, *Cardium edule var. batesoni*, *Cardium edule var. fulva*, *Cardium edule var. loppensi*, *Cardium edule var. maculata*, *Cardium edule var. major*, *Cardium edule var. mercatoria*, *Cardium edule var. regularis*, *Cardium mercatorium*, *Cardium nunninkae*, *Cardium obtritum*, *Cardium quadrarium*, *Cardium vulgare*, *Cerastoderma edule var. sinicola*, *Cerastoderma nunninkae*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the common cockle?

The common cockle is a mollusc in the class Bivalvia and the family Cardiidae.

### What is the scientific name of the common cockle?

The scientific name of the common cockle is Cerastoderma edule, placed in the genus Cerastoderma.

### Who named the common cockle and when?

The common cockle's scientific name carries the authority (Linnaeus, 1758).

### What other names does the common cockle have?

The common cockle is also called Cockle, Edible cockle, Common edible cockle and Common European cockle.

### Is the common cockle extinct?

No, the Catalogue of Life lists the common cockle as living, not extinct.

### Which order and superfamily does the common cockle belong to?

The common cockle belongs to the order Cardiida and the superfamily Cardioidea.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Common cockle (Cerastoderma edule). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-cockle