Cerastoderma edule, commonly known as the common cockle, is a species of edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Cardiidae, the cockles. This species is found in coastal areas of the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It is widely distributed from Norway to the coast of west Africa. This cockle is cooked and eaten in several countries (including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Portugal and Spain). Probably a significant food source in hunter-gatherer societies of prehistoric Europe, the remains of shell-imprints have been found, see Archeological record below.