Tridacna costata

Tridacna costata

Tridacna costata is a clam species from the family of giant clams. The species occurs in very shallow water in the Red Sea and was only recognized in 2008 with the help of molecular biological methods as an independent species.

Description

The shell of the animals reached a length of 27 to 32 cm. The species is characterized by 5-7 folds in the shell, leading to a zig -zag -shaped shell edge. The coat is brown spotting with wart-like formations on the greenish rim.

Stock development

Studies of fossil Tridacna shells have shown that Tridacna costata with about 80 % of the individuals found was the most common Riesenmuschelart on the Red Sea about 125,000 years ago. In more recent layers, the findings decreased significantly, Tridacna costata today accounts for less than one percent of giant clams found out. It is believed that this sharp decline is due to overfishing, which began in the Asian region with the migration of early humans from Africa. Tridacna costata was particularly easy to collect due to the presence in very shallow water. Their decline is thus currently the oldest known case of overfishing dar. Due to the low population numbers, the species is now considered threatened with extinction.

Swell

• C. Richter, H. Roa - Quiaoit, C. Jantzen, M. Al- Zibdah and M. Kochzius: Collapse of a New Species of Giant Clam Living in the Red Sea. In: Current Biology. 2008 doi:. 10.1016/j.cub.2008.07.060.