Giant clams are the largest living marine bivalves and typically inhabit tropical coral reefs in coastal regions throughout the Indo-Pacific. These iconic invertebrates perform numerous important ecological roles as well as serve as flagship species—drawing attention to the ongoing destruction of coral reefs and their associated biodiversity. 1/16. Giant clams belong to the family Tridacnidae and there are nine species occurring in two genera, Tridacna and Hippopus. Giant clams reproduce via external fertilization, where eggs and sperm are released into the water column at the same time. Real experts may have a better answer though. These giant clams can get much larger in the wild, reaching just over 17 1/2," but that takes over 60 to 70 years. As far as the lifespan, I've found several references that say they can live up to 100 years, although they don't cite where their data came from. Schematic diagram of a giant clam. The clams are also a reservoir for specialized microalgae—zooxanthellae—that symbiotically help them glean energy from photosynthesis. Once the giant clam has settled somewhere the giant clam remains there for the rest of its life. From what I've found, the Giant Clam reaches sexual maturity at about 5-6 years of age. Additionally, there are about 9 different species of Giant Clam, so each one is a bit different. Thus, I would conclude that the death of a clam in aquaria is unlikely to be natural. Giant clams also have many pale or clear spots on the mantle, referred to as 'windows'. Giant Clam. Perhaps on this basis of such stories, even reputable scientific handbooks once claimed the Giant Clam had been the cause of fatalities.

Currently, 7 giant clam species are candidate species for listing under the E ndangered Species Act. Thus, they were in a life stage that is comparable to that of A i irradians specimens used in the same study. CENTER FOR TROPICAL AND AQUACULTURE SUBTROPICAL a. Tridacna gigas is the true giant clam, growing to greater than 1.4 m in shell length. Even with a lifespan of over 100 years, the giant clam is one of the most endangered clam species in the world. A giant clam “is a whole ecosystem by itself, like a mini coral reef,” Gomez says. Giant clams, which may live for 80 or more years, are food for predators such as eels and starfish and provide shelter for fish and shrimp species. However, giant clams are cemented to the reef surface, so they are only able to reproduce with other individuals that are close by. One of a number of large clam species native to the shallow coral reefs of the South Pacific and Indian oceans, they can weigh more than 200 kilograms (440 lb), measure as much as 120 cm (47 in) across and have an average lifespan in the wild of over 100 years. Giant clams cannot completely close their shell once fully grown. Clams of importance in the U. S. Affiliated Pa-cific Islands are as follows: Figure 1. This gorgeous clam is also known by the common names Elongate Giant Clam, Great Clam, Rugose Clam and Small Giant Clam. Giant clams reproduce sexually via broadcast spawning. This species is also known by a number of different common names, including Icelandic cyprine, mahogany clam, mahogany quahog, black quahog, and black clam.

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