Abstract
As their name suggests, giant clams are among the biggest clams on earth, and they are very colorful animals that live in coral reefs. Giant clams get help from tiny organisms inside their mantles, the colorful part between their shells. These little helpers, tiny microalgae, can use sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce food, which they share with the clams. That is why these clams can grow so big! In return, the clams provide the microalgae with some nutrients. Although sunlight is very important for food production in these organisms, excessive sunlight can lead to a sunburn, like in humans. Therefore, the clams had to evolve their special sparkling tan, a natural sun protection that is a very effective way to protect themselves, and the microalgae inside their mantles, from too much sunlight and from getting a sunburn.
Highlights
AGE: As their name suggests, giant clams are among the biggest clams on earth, and they are very colorful animals that live in coral reefs
MICROALGAE Tiny, single-celled organisms that can fix carbon from the atmosphere like plants do on land
There are other big, colorful, and important animals living in these reefs, such as the giant clams, which are common in coral reefs of the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans
Summary
Figure (A) The outer shell of a clam protects the soft, inner parts of its body. (B) The colorful mantles of giant clams contain symbiotic microalgae, which perform photosynthesis, and cells called iridocytes, which have mirror-like crystal plates that can reflect UV light from the sun and protect the clams from sun damage. Figure (A) The outer shell of a clam protects the soft, inner parts of its body. MICROALGAE Tiny, single-celled organisms that can fix carbon from the atmosphere like plants do on land. MANTLE The outer, fleshy part of a clam’s body. The mantle is very colorful, with shades of blue, green, and brown. MUTUALISTIC SYMBIOSIS A relationship between two or more species, in which both organisms benefit from the interaction in some way
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