These bivalves are stationary suspension feeders. Some species bore into rock for shelter, others also live in rock but do not bore, instead they nestle in holes created by other organisms, or in other crevices. They may also live nestled within the holdfasts of kelps, within other organisms such as sponges, or partly buried in a sandy sediment.[2]
The number of species in the genus is unclear, and their unequivocal identification can be difficult. The following species are listed in MolluscaBase/WoRMS (2015):[1]
By molecular data, at least 13 different species of Hiatella were distinguished, but the correspondence between those taxa and the formal species names was not resolved.[2]