Southern giant clam  (Tridacna derasa)

Description

The southern giant clam is one of the largest of the ‘giant clams’, reaching up to an incredible 60 cm in length (2) (4). The species is also known as the smooth giant clam because of the relative lack of ribbing and scales on its thick shell. The smoothness of the southern giant clam’s shell, and its six to seven vertical folds, help to distinguish it from its larger relative, T. gigas, which has four to five folds and a rougher texture (4). The mantle usually has a pattern of wavy stripes or spots, and may be various mixtures of orange, yellow, black and white, often with brilliant blue or green lines (4) (5).

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