Before it was formally classified taxonomically, Fijians had long referred to Tridacna mbalavuana as ‘tevoro,’ or devil clam, based on its thin, sharply-edged valves and warty brownish gray mantle. This species has one of the most restricted distributions of all the giant clam species. For many years, it had only been observed in Fiji and Tonga, but recent reports indicate that this species may also occur at low numbers in New Caledonia, the outer islands of the Great Barrier Reef, and possibly Indonesia. T. mbalavuana has a deeper depth distribution than most other giant clam species, with most observations occurring between depths of 65 to 98 feet.
The natural rarity of T. mbalavuana combined with longstanding traditions of giant clam harvest in Fiji and Tonga have driven the species to very low abundance throughout its range.
| Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Mollusca | Class | Bivalvia | Order | Cardiida | Family | Cardiidae | Genus | Tridacna | Species | mbalavuana |
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A grant project in Guam is setting up giant clam aquaculture in two southern villages, Inalåhan and Malesso. Giant clams are a culturally important species in Guam, where they’re also regulated due to overharvesting. Credit: David Burdick
Fifteen of the 83 species included in the Pacific Islands vulnerability assessment. From left to right: Acanthurus achilles, Caranx melampygus, Tripneustes gratilla, Acanthurus triostegus, Scarus rubroviolaceus, Cephalopholis argus, Octopus cyanea, Lutjanus kasmira, Panulirus penicillatus, Triaenodon obesus, Selar crumenophthalmus, Ctenochaetus strigosus, Naso unicornis, Zebrasoma flavescens, Tridacna maxima. Photo credit: Bruce Mundy.