Somewhat paradoxically, Tridacna maxima is known commonly as the small giant clam. It is the most cosmopolitan of the giant clam species with an expansive range that extends from the central Pacific all the way into the Red Sea. T. maxima tends to inhabit shallow waters of coral reefs and atoll lagoons. The mantle of T. maxima is often brilliantly colored with some variation of blues, greens, and browns.
| Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Mollusca | Class | Bivalvia | Order | Cardiida | Family | Cardiidae | Genus | Tridacna | Species | maxima |
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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.