Definition
Tridacna gigas, also known as the giant clam, is the largest living bivalve mollusk. These massive clams can weigh over 500 pounds and grow to over four feet in length! They live in shallow coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific ocean, filtering seawater for food. Unlike other clams, they also get nutrients from symbiotic algae living in their mantle tissue. Think of them as the gentle giants of the sea. They are basically underwater couches, but please don't sit on them!