[7] The exterior characteristics of genus Astarte include the periostracum, ribs and overall shell shape.

The umbones are prone to erosion in older specimens, which causes a difference in the appearance between juvenile and adult individuals.

The shell shape of Astarte borealis is ovate to subquadrate to sub trigonal with umbones subcentral, just dorsal of midline, and often eroded in older individuals.

[6] In terms of abundance and biomass, A. arctica and A. borealis have the highest values and are visually fairly similar in the color spectrum of the periostracum, irrespective of their size and age variability.

In the Baltic Sea, individuals possess ripe eggs and sperm for almost the entire year and may portion spawn (takes place during several intervals) rather than at a certain period.

In the White Sea, A. borealis is more or less evenly distributed throughout the depth range Astarte borealis have been the subject of several studies on anoxia within the Baltic Sea and has been found to be anoxia tolerant, although repeated extended exposures to anoxic conditions will eventually cause mortality.

[4] Modern bivalves generally show an increase in lifespan and a decrease in von Bertalanffy k with latitude, a pattern that holds across Bivalvia and within groups.

[4] Astarte borealis is an infauna suspension feeder found buried up to 2 mm below the sediment surface preferring muddy sand containing gravel.

Along with other species, these mollusks play an important role in marine ecosystems because they are a common component of benthic communities and a dietary item of many predatory fishes and animals.