Which giant bivalve species is found on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef?

Tridacna gigas, the giant clam, is the giant bivalve species found on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

The giant clam is the largest living bivalve mollusc. Like reef-building corals, it has a partnership with photosynthetic algae living in its tissues. The algae provide energy, while the clam supplies a protected environment and materials useful to the algae.

Giant clams are native to shallow tropical Indo-Pacific waters, including parts of the Great Barrier Reef. Their shells can become extremely large, although claims that they can trap and hold people are dramatic myths rather than a normal feature of the animal.

Tridacna gigas should not be confused with other giant-clam species such as Tridacna maxima or Tridacna derasa. Shell size, mantle pattern and geographic range help distinguish the species.