A winter storm struck the South Jersey shore near Atlantic City, New J
ersey in 1992, excavating a population (10(8) individuals) of the burr
owing infaunal surf-clam, Spisula solidissima, and depositing them abo
ve the high tide fine. Nearly all individuals survived transport durin
g the storm. Small clams at the base of the storm deposit reburrowed,
larger individuals and small ones above the base of the deposit did no
t. The overburden of conspecifics most likely prevented them from atta
ining the requisite vertical burrowing orientation, or an under-lying
pavement of conspecifics blocked burrowing. Clams accumulated in piles
or ''dunes'' standing as high as one meter on, the beach and two mete
rs in. the lee of breakwaters and extending laterally <20 meters. Such
accumulations might appear in the fossil record and as yet be unrecog
nized. Larger shells were often. distinctively chipped at the anterior
and posterior ends, probably as a result of collision with other shel
ls during transport.