The sunray venus clam lives close to shore, up to a depth of 25ft. Storms can wash in large numbers of this long-valved, compressed shell.

The lovely shell is fairly thick, smooth and shiny, though there are very fine striations on the surface. The perioscracum is thin. The brown, pinkish-gray, golden-tan or lavender exterior is beautified with bands of darker colours which radiate from the beak (umbo) to the margin (periphery). The shell fades quickly from sun exposure, but a fresh one is a glossy canvas depicting a dramatic sunburst. The interior of Macrocallista nimbosa is white (or salmon-coloured when the specimen is fresh).

The shell may reach a length of 6 inches, and the clam inside can be used to create an excellent clam chowder.

The bivalve may be found on beaches from North Carolina, over to Texas and down to Brazil.