Tridacna crocea | |
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Boring clam with mantle extended | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Bivalvia |
Order: | Cardiida |
Family: | Cardiidae |
Subfamily: | Tridacninae |
Genus: | Tridacna |
Species: | T. crocea |
Binomial name | |
Tridacna crocea | |
Synonyms | |
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Tridacna crocea, the boring clam, crocus clam, crocea clam or saffron-coloured clam, is a species of bivalve in the family Cardiidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region. It is occasionally found in the aquarium trade [4] where it is often simply referred to as crocea. [5]
The boring clam is the smallest clam in the subfamily Tridacninae and grows to a maximum shell size of 15 cm (6 in). [6] It has two, thick valves joined by a hinge which is typically between a third and less than a half of the width of the shell. Typically shells are slightly to moderately elongate, and the animal is strongly inflated, especially near the hinge. The upper valve has six to ten flattish folds which interlock at the margin with similar folds on the lower valve so that they can clamp together and the shell can close tightly. The lower valve has slits through which the byssal threads emerge which secure the animal to the seabed. This clam burrows into the substrate and this process tends to wear away the outer surface of the valves and smooth them off. They also may become distorted by burrowing into substrates of uneven hardness. [5]
The colour of the valves is generally greyish-white, sometimes with a hint of pink-orange, yellow or orange colour -this colouration can form a band near the top margin, especially on the interior surface. The mantle, the soft body wall which covers the animal's internal organs, projects from between the valves when they are open and is brightly coloured. It can be various shades of blue, green, purple, gold, orange or brown, often patterned with spots, stripes or squiggles. It has many small protrusions on the exposed surface and a line of simple eyes near the margin. The inhalent siphon, through which water is drawn into the shell, is surrounded by many small tentacles and the exhalent siphon is often long and tubular. [5]
The boring clam is native to the Indo-Pacific. Its range extends from Malaysia, Vietnam and Japan to Indonesia, the Philippines, Palau, New Guinea, Australia, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. At one time it was known from Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands but it may now be locally extinct in these locations. [1] Its typical habitat is embedded in massive corals. [6]
A cockle is an edible marine bivalve mollusc. Although many small edible bivalves are loosely called cockles, true cockles are species in the family Cardiidae.
Pholadidae, known as piddocks or angelwings, are a family of bivalve molluscs similar to a clam.
Tridacna is a genus of large saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the subfamily Tridacninae, the giant clams. They have heavy shells, fluted with 4 to 6 folds. The mantle is brightly coloured. They inhabit shallow waters of coral reefs in warm seas of the Indo-Pacific region. These clams are popular in marine aquaria, and in some areas, such as the Philippines, members of the genus are farmed for the marine aquarium trade. They live in symbiosis with photosynthetic algae (zooxanthellae). Some species are eaten by humans.
Tridacna squamosa, known commonly as the fluted giant clam and scaly clam, is a species of bivalve in the family Cardiidae.
The maxima clam, also known as the small giant clam, is a species of bivalve mollusc found throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
Hippopus hippopus, also known as the Horse Hoof clam and Strawberry clam, is a species of giant clam in the Subfamily Tridacninae and the genus Hippopus. Hippopus is a delicacy in many Southeast Asian countries due to its high quality meat.
Tridacna derasa, the southern giant clam or smooth giant clam, is a species of extremely large marine clam in the family Cardiidae.
Tridacninae, common name the giant clams, is a taxonomic subfamily of very large saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Cardiidae, the cockles.
Macoma nasuta, commonly known as the bent-nosed clam, is a species of bivalve found along the Pacific Ocean coast of North America. It is about 6 cm (2.4 in) long. It is often found buried in sands of 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 in) in depth. This rounded clam has no radial ribs. Archaeological data supports the use of this species by Native Americans such as the Chumash peoples of central California.
Leukoma staminea, commonly known as the Pacific littleneck clam, the littleneck clam, the rock cockle, the hardshell clam, the Tomales Bay cockle, the rock clam or the ribbed carpet shell, is a species of bivalve mollusc in the family Veneridae. This species of mollusc was exploited by early humans in North America; for example, the Chumash peoples of Central California harvested these clams in Morro Bay approximately 1,000 years ago, and the distinctive shells form middens near their settlements.
Corculum cardissa, the heart cockle, is a species of marine bivalve mollusc in the family Cardiidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region. It has a symbiotic relationship with dinoflagellates (zooxanthellae), which live within its tissues.
Fragum is a genus of cockles, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Cardiidae. Members of the genus have characteristic thick, sculptured shells and live buried in sand, extending their siphons to the surface to feed and breathe. They are found in the Indo-Pacific region and the Red Sea.
Fulvia is a genus of cockles, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Cardiidae. Most species are found in the Indo-Pacific and in Australian waters.
Venerupis corrugata, the pullet carpet shell, is a species of bivalve mollusc in the family Veneridae. It is found buried in the sediment on the sea bed in shallow parts of the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It is harvested for human consumption in Spain and other parts of Western Europe.
Neotrigonia margaritacea, common name the pearly brooch-shell, is a species of saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Trigoniidae. This species is known from sandy substrates in shallow seas in southeastern and southwestern Australia. This species was the first member of the family to be discovered alive; previous to its discovery, trigoniids were only known from fossils.
Tridacna noae, also known as Noah’s giant clam or the Teardrop giant clam, is a species of giant clam. Up until recently, T. noae was confused with the small giant clam Tridacna maxima, but is now known to be its own independent species. It has a broad distribution in the Indo-Pacific.
Acanthocardia echinata, the prickly cockle or European prickly cockle, is a species of saltwater clam, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Cardiidae.
Pseudofulvia is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the subfamily Laevicardiinae of the family Cardiidae, the cockles.
Tridacna squamosina is a species of the Tridacna genus, the giant clams. These animals are bivalve mollusks belonging to the family Cardiidae identified by Sturany 1899.