Phalguni Ranjan
( Tridacna crocea )
You can find them embedded within massive corals in shallow warm waters.
The boring giant clam grows to a maximum size of 15 cm. In contrast to their name, they are actually quite interesting. Their main skill is to burrow into the reef and reside in the hole they bore in the living coral reef. Their colourful 'mantle' is what protrudes out of the reef and is what is usually seen by observers.
Clams get most of their energy from the symbiotic algae cells that live in their body and hence, this exposure from the reef is necessary to collect sunlight for these cells to conduct photosynthesis.
Joydeep Sarkar
( Lopha cristagalli )
Found in shallow waters amongst coral reefs and rocky areas at depths between 5-30 m where they attach to substrate.
Growing up to 20cm in length, the cock's comb oyster can be found in variable colours ranging from dark red to light purple. Their shell displays a prominent zigzag pattern while also being covered with some species of sponges of various colours.
They are filter feeders, that sift out plankton and other organic material from the water that passes over its gills.
Vardhan Patankar
( Atrina pectinata )
Found in areas along coral reefs where they attach themselves permanently at depths between 0-60m in sand or rubble.
Like the oysters they are filter feeders that filter out plankton and other organic material from the water column through the help of their gills.
Joydeep Sarkar
Joydeep Sarkar
( Spondylus varians )
They thrive in depths of 30 m in shallow coastal waters around coral reefs and areas which are rocky.
The variable thorny oyster can grow up to a maximum length of 20 cm. Their 'mantle' or part of their body which can be seen when they open their shell displays colourful markings with an orange margin. Their shell is usually colonized by other organisms such as sponges coupled with some spines on their shell which give them their name.
They are filter feeders, that sift out plankton and other organic material from the water that passes over its gills.
Jonathan Emmett
Joydeep Sarkar
( Tridacna sp. )
The giant clams can be found in sand close to coral reefs or broken coral at depths of about 20m.
The giant clams are the largest living bialve molluscs, there are several species of these giant clams of which one is the most endangangered of them all. While giants calms are filter feeders, they also have symbiotic algae in their tissue that provide them with the energy they require to survive.
Clams get most of their energy from the symbiotic algae cells that live in their body and hence, this exposure from the reef is necessary to collect sunlight for these cells to conduct photosynthesis.