Tridacna
Identification
Location
Tubba-taha reef, Sulu Sea, Philippines.
Caption
This particular variety of clam (Tridacna species), with its brilliant blue mantle, is a common sight on shallow Philippine reefs. It measures about six inches from end to end. In this photo the fleshy mantle is entirely exposed, but patience is required to see the clam in this state-- the clam will abruptly close its shell with only a minor change in light, such as a shadow. Specialized cells called ocelli along the outer edge of the mantle are responsible for light reception.
- Subject
- Live Animal
- Type
- Photo
- Life Stages And Gender
- Adult/Sexually Mature
Contributors
Jeffrey N. Jeffords (photographer; copyright holder; identification)
Conditions of Use
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.