Cockle

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{{Taxobox | color = pink | name = Cockles | image = cockle.jpg | image_width = 200px | image_caption = Empty cockle shell | regnum = Animalia | phylum = Mollusca | classis = Bivalvia | ordo = Veneroida | superfamilia = Cardiacea | familia = Cardiidae | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision = Acanthocardia
Americardia
Cardium
Cerastoderma
Clinocardium
Corculum
Ctenocardia
Dinocardium
Discors
Fragum
Fulvia
Laevicardium
Lophocardiium
Lyrocardium
Lunulicardia
Microcardium
Nemocardium
Papyridea
Parvicardium
Plagiocardium
Ringicardium
Trachycardium
Trigoniocardia
Serripes }} Cockles are the family Cardiidae of bivalve mollusks.

The rounded shells are symmetrical, heart-shaped and feature strongly pronounced ribs. The mantle has three apertures (inhalant, exhalant, and pedal) for siphoning water and for the foot to protrude. Cockles typically burrow using the foot and feed by siphoning water in and out, sifting plankton from it. They are also capable of 'jumping' by bending and straightening the foot. Unlike most bivalves, cockles are hermaphroditic and reproduce quickly. Image:Morecambe-bay-cockle-picking.jpg Cockles are a popular type of shellfish in both Eastern and Western cooking. Consumption of raw cockles has been linked to hepatitis. <ref> {{cite web

| last = O'Mahony
| first = 
| authorlink = 
| coauthors = Gooch, Smyth, et al.
| year = 1983
| url = http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6131222&dopt=Abstract
| title = Epidemic hepatitis A from cockles
| publisher = NIH
| accessdate = 2006-03-25}}

</ref> Cockles are sold fresh as a snack food in the United Kingdom, and are eaten with vinegar. They are also available pickled in jars and, more recently, they are often sold in convenient sealed packets (with vinegar) containing a plastic two-pronged fork.

They are an effective bait for a wide variety of sea fishes.

The English phrase 'cockles of my heart' refers to the ventricles of the heart (Latin: cochleae cordis).

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