The giant clam, or Tridacna gigas, is the best-known species of giant clams. It is the world's largest marine bivalve mollusk, a group of invertebrate animals with two-part shells.

The giant clam, known for its colorful cape-like mantle, wavy shell and astonishing size, is in danger of going extinct after its population plunged by more than 80% over the last century, according ...

Now, the giant clam is classified as "critically endangered." Overfishing and climate change are the biggest threats these clams face. The statuses of 11 other related species were changed as well.

The giant clam, known for its colorful cape-like mantle, wavy shell and astonishing size, is in danger of going extinct after its population plunged by more than 80% over the last century, according ...

Similar to corals, giant clams are facing increasing threats from climate change. When the ocean water becomes too warm, the clams expel the symbiotic algae from their tissues. Without the algae, the ...

Consider the giant clam. A simple bivalve of two equal shells connected by a hinge joint and ligament. They weigh up to 750 pounds and measure as much as 4 feet from end to end.

Some giant clam specimens span over five feet in width. ©Fernando Losada Rodríguez, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons – Original / License ...

Giant clams, which can grow to weigh more than 200 kilograms (440 pounds), have long been traded for their shells, which are carved into decorative items, as well as for food and the aquarium trade.

Giant clams have taken a hit in recent decades, and they’re considered vulnerable to extinction. During the 1970s much of the Asia-Pacific region was picked clean of giant clams for their meat, ...

Similar to corals, giant clams are facing increasing threats from climate change. When the ocean water becomes too warm, the clams expel the symbiotic algae from their tissues. Without the algae, the ...

The giant clam, known for its colorful cape-like mantle, wavy shell and astonishing size, is in danger of going extinct after its population plunged by more than 80% over the last century, ...

The giant clam, or Tridacna gigas, is the best-known species of giant clams. It is the world’s largest marine bivalve mollusk, a group of invertebrate animals with two-part shells.