The shell of Jiang Yao is very large, thin, the shell is pointed in front and wide in the back, cuneate, with radial ribs and growth lines on the surface, and the shell surface is light brown to brown. The color inside the shell is slightly the same as the shell surface. The filaments are hair-like and more developed. The posterior closed-shell muscle of the mother-of-pearl is extremely developed. Jiang Yao resembles a large mussel, with a body length of more than a foot and a shell color like ink and jade, so it is named. Shizhen said: "The horse armor, jade yao are all in the name of shape and color. Wan Zhen Zan Yun: the beauty of the Turk's armor such as yao yu. Is carried out." Jiang Yao shell thin and brittle, semi-horny, crystal lovely. After the closed shell muscle large and round, called Jiang Yaozhu, dried products and called dry shellfish, large dry shellfish. Minzhonghai wrong ":" Jiangyao shell color such as light vegetables, on the sharp down flat, the big one feet, meat white and tough, column round and brittle. The beauty of the sand clams in the tongue, the beauty of Jiang Yao in the column."

Jiangyao family of animals in China has 13 species, to pectus jiangyao is the most famous. The shell is long triangular, shell height 155mm, shell length 280~300mm, shell width 70mm. shell top sharp and thin, because the top of the shell is buried in the seabed, so it is often broken state. The posterior end is broad, the two shells are equal, the hinge is long, accounting for almost the entire dorsal margin, without hinge teeth. The ventral margin is straight, with a slightly concave peduncle hole near the top of the shell, and the posterior margin is slightly curved or truncate. The surface of the shell is brown and exfoliated, resulting in the pearl layer being exposed and having a pearly luster. The shell surface generally has about a dozen radial ribs, the ribs with triangular slightly oblique to the rear of the small spines, this spine-like protrusion in the dorsal margin of the last row more into a strong serrated. The inner surface of the shell has a nacreous layer only in the anterior and middle parts, and no nacreous layer in the marginal parts. Closing muscle 2, anterior closing muscle is small, located in the top of the shell, ovate; posterior closing muscle is large, located in the middle of the shell, round, such as thermos bottle stopper size. Pedipalp filaments well-developed, thin and softly filamentous, brown.

[Edit Paragraph]Life Habits

The Jiangyao lives in the shallow sea at a depth of 20~40m, on a muddy and sandy seabed, and it has been reported that it has been found at a depth of less than 100m. The living condition of Jiang Yao is very interesting, they become a group of communities densely distributed in the sediment area, with the top of the shell upright inserted into the sediment, and with the foot threads fixed in the sand, the back end of the shell 1/3 exposed to the water, the filter feeding life. Diving observation, like a piece of large sunflower seeds inserted upside down in the sediment, very spectacular.

[Edit paragraph]Economic value

Cooking use: Jiangyao soft body parts are edible, especially the shellfish column white crystal color, sweet taste. Light fire sizzling food fresh and tender, overcooking will be tough and sinewy. As contained in the Compendium of Materia Medica, the four meat columns are about an inch long and as white as snow, and the chicken juice is reduced to fat and beautiful, and the flavor is exhausted if it is overheated. Therefore, more raw food, shabu-shabu food, or make porridge soup, noodles and so on. Jiang mother-of-pearl meat is crisp and tender, color milky white, taste delicious, more steamed, popped, fried and other cooking methods. The dried product of closed-shell muscle is the mother-of-pearl, which can be used to roast, braise, steam and so on after rising. Culinary application: the flesh of the river mother-of-pearl is crispy and tender, milky white in color and delicious in taste, mostly used in steaming, popping, stir-frying and other cooking methods. Closed-shell muscle dry products that is the mother-of-pearl, after rising hair can be used to burn, braise, steam and so on.

When collecting, the diver dives into the seabed and puts the Jiang Yao into the net bag and lifts it into the cabin. After washing, dissecting and cutting out the closed-shell muscle, fresh or boiled and dried.

Jiang Yao shells and meat columns are medicinal. Shell containing angular shell hard protein, calcium carbonate. All contain mucin-like protein, composed of nearly 8% sugar and 10% protein, sugar for N-acetylated glucosamine and galactosamine, galactose, fucose and other components. It also contains myosin, actin, fibronectin, paramyosin, pro-myosin and more than ten kinds of amino acids. It also contains adenosine triphosphate, phosphodiesterase, and hydroxyindole oxidase. The viscera contain silver, manganese and so on.

Shells have the function of clearing heat and detoxification, quenching wind and sedation, and are used for high blood pressure, wet sores and so on.

Shells have the function of nourishing yin and tonifying the kidney and regulating the middle. The Materia Medica from the new": under the qi and adjust the middle, benefit the five organs, cure thirst, eliminating abdominal food. The Materia Medica Seeking Origin: nourishes the true yin, stops urination. It is used for the depletion of essence and blood after prolonged illness, deficiency of the five organs, weakness of the spleen and stomach, malnutrition, diabetes, impotence, spermatorrhea, and unfavorable bowel movements.