Invertebrates
Giant Clam
Tridacna gigas · Bivalve mollusk, family Cardiidae, subfamily Tridacninae; the largest living bivalve
A mature giant clam is a reef landmark: a meter-plus of fluted shell holding a mantle patterned in electric blues, greens, and golds, no two animals alike. The colors come partly from iridescent cells managing light for the clam's real engine (symbiotic algae farmed in its tissues), which is why giants sit in the sunlit shallows gaping wide by day. Old stories about man-trap clams are folklore; a disturbed animal vents and closes slowly, and the largest cannot seal at all. The genuine drama is reproductive, broadcast spawning that fogs whole lagoon patches with gametes. Tridacna gigas has been fished out of much of its former range for meat and shell, and many animals divers meet today, notably in Palau, descend from hatchery restocking. Find the paired siphons, note the sunburst mantle pattern, and keep fins well clear.
Где и когда увидеть
«Постоянный» означает, что этот вид встречается на большинстве погружений в данном месте; «сезонный» означает, что он надёжно присутствует в указанные месяцы; всё остальное, это приятный бонус, а не то, на что стоит рассчитывать.
| Направление | Достоверность | Месяцы | Примечания |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns & the Ribbon ReefsAustralia | Resident: seen on most dives | Круглый год | |
| PalauPalau | Resident: seen on most dives | Круглый год | |
| Raja AmpatIndonesia | Resident: seen on most dives | Круглый год | |
| Sipadan & MabulMalaysia | Resident: seen on most dives | Круглый год | |
| YapFederated States of Micronesia | Resident: seen on most dives | Круглый год |
Лучший месяц, с первого взгляда
| Месяц | Надёжные направления |
|---|---|
| January | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Palau · Raja Ampat · Sipadan & Mabul · Yap |
| February | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Palau · Raja Ampat · Sipadan & Mabul · Yap |
| March | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Palau · Raja Ampat · Sipadan & Mabul · Yap |
| April | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Palau · Raja Ampat · Sipadan & Mabul · Yap |
| May | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Palau · Raja Ampat · Sipadan & Mabul · Yap |
| June | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Palau · Raja Ampat · Sipadan & Mabul · Yap |
| July | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Palau · Raja Ampat · Sipadan & Mabul · Yap |
| August | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Palau · Raja Ampat · Sipadan & Mabul · Yap |
| September | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Palau · Raja Ampat · Sipadan & Mabul · Yap |
| October | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Palau · Raja Ampat · Sipadan & Mabul · Yap |
| November | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Palau · Raja Ampat · Sipadan & Mabul · Yap |
| December | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Palau · Raja Ampat · Sipadan & Mabul · Yap |
Как их понять
Среда обитания: Sunlit reef flats, lagoon floors, and upper slopes, shallow because its symbiotic algae need strong light.
Ареал: Coral Triangle, Micronesia, and the Great Barrier Reef; fished out of much of its former Indo-Pacific range, with reintroductions in several countries.
Поведение: Sessile after settlement; gapes its patterned mantle to the sun by day, contracting and slowly closing when shadowed. Spawns by broadcast, fogging the water with gametes.
Рацион питания: Mostly sugars from symbiotic algae farmed in the mantle, topped up by filter feeding.
Размер: как правило, около 1.0 m; задокументировано до 1.3 m (shell length; the largest reliably weighed animals exceed 200 kg).
Как вести себя рядом с ним
Keep fins, gauges, and hands clear of the mantle and siphons; shadow the animal as little as possible and never test the closing reflex.
Охрана природы
Listed Vulnerable under a 1996 assessment widely considered out of date (recent studies argue it is far more threatened), locally extinct in parts of its range, and traded under CITES Appendix II; hatchery programs restock several countries.
Известные места на карте
Отмеченные объекты внесены нашими редакторами как места наблюдения данного вида; цифры обозначают количество записей о встречах в базе GBIF в радиусе около 5 км от объекта начиная с 1990 года.
Смотреть
Из официальных источников
Wildlife of Monterey | New film in our auditorium
Live Aviary Cam | Monterey Bay Aquarium
Live Aviary Cam | Monterey Bay Aquarium
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