Giant clam ‘farms’ algae May 15 2008
We found one of the species of giant clam in a cave at Nine Mile Reef, at Sodwana Bay on South Africa’s Indian Ocean coast, today. This is a truly amazing organism.
They are the biggest living bivalve mollusc and can live for 100 years and reach over a metre (3.3ft) in length. The one we found was about 40cm (16in) long, so a beginner I guess.
They exist by eating simple dinoflagellate algae, which are farmed on the mantle of the clam itself. The clam opens during the day to enable the algae to photosynthesise, and once an adequate crop is developed, I suppose the creature closes its shell and digests its meal.
Quite astounding for something that gets so big and heavy.
– by Graeme Duane, Earth-Touch crew
You can see a giant clam in the Earth-Touch clip, Ray shelters in cave.
Image © Earth-Touch 2008
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