While the English common name "dog cockle" implies an inferior food that might only be suitable for animals, this shellfish is edible and enjoyed in many European countries,[1] although the flesh has a reputation for becoming tough if overcooked.

[2] The dog cockle is a burrowing animal, living in shelly gravel on the ocean floor at depths up to 100 m (330 ft).

The shell, which reaches 6.5 cm in length, is thick, and almost circular in outline.

It can be uniformly coloured, or it can show irregular, concentric zigzags on a cream background.

The periostracum is dark brown and forms a broad band around the shell margin; it is velvety in texture.