These bivalve molluscs have a white to light brown, almost oval shell (sometimes with darker zig-zag markings) with concentric ridges, containing white to yellow meat (sometimes with patches of purple). They are found around the southern Australian coast (including Tasmania) and harvested from tidal flats and estuary mouths on sheltered or sandy subtidal sediment to depths of about 5m, from Fraser Island in Queensland to Cape Leeuwin in WA. The larger K.scalarina, with pale yellow shells, is tidal, while the smaller K.rhytiphora, with greyish-purple shells, is intertidal. Both the SA and Tasmanian fishery are increasing and there have been aquaculture trials in Port Stephens (NSW) with K.rhytiphora.