SIZE :
10 cm in diameter, rarely up to 15 cm.
LIFE EXPECTANCY :
10 to 15 years.
LIFE CYCLE :
There are male and female softshell clams, although it is impossible to tell them apart with the naked eye. Males release their sperm into the water, while females release their eggs. New clams are formed when the two meet, at random. Even if millions of reproductive cells are released, between 90 and 99% of new clams will not grow beyond the larval stage.