RAJAH AMPAT 2004 - SHELLS AND CLAMS
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Photos: Shells and Clams

There were some amazing giant clams (Tridacna gigas) at the reefs here. One of my favorite photos taken on this trip features a giant clam in the foreground with dense reefscape in the background. A small, yellow fish is peaking out of the vent of the clam.

Most species IDs and some image captions are courtesy of Judy Foester.

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SELECTED IMAGES

A member of the Ovulidae family, (Aclyvolva lanceolata). The snail feeds on its host gorgonian and its papillae mimic the polyps of the host. There are also four arthropod commensals in the photo. The species lanceolata is the only one I can find on the web for this genus. Another possibility is (Phenacovolva rosea). (Goabesar, Farondi)
A member of the Ovulidae family, (Crenovolva rosewateri) which feeds on the Melithaea gorgonian pictured here. (Dinding Selatan, Sel Pelee)
Small yellow fish in the vent of giant clam (Tridacna gigas). Divaricate tree coral (Dendronephthya sp.) to right of the clam and gorgonians in the right rear. The orange and yellow fish are (Pseudanthias sp.) (Acropora formosa) stony coral in left, rear. (Kri Island)
In the foreground is the mother of all giant clams (Tridacna gigas) with its vent slit at the bottom of the photo and the siphon just under the cream colored leather coral. The iridiscent patches in the mantle consist of zooxanthellae (dinoflagellate algae). They are rather sparse in this specimen so it probably gets most of its nutrition by filter-feeding with the vent and siphon. (Kri Island)
Glorious mantle of the giant clam (Tridacna gigas) which have largely been destroyed from the reefs except in Papua. The iridiscence is produced by zooxanthellae (dinoflagellate algae) within the mantle tissue.The opening in the bottom of the photo is called the vent and the one at the top is the siphon. There is great variability among individuals in the amount of food gained via the algae vs. the filter- feeding. (Cape Kri)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Rajah Ampat 2004
- Rajah Ampat Home
- Best of: Photos
- Bali & Makassar
- Diving Rajah Ampat
    - Abstract
    - Anemonefish
    - Blennies & Gobies
    - Cephalopods
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    - Pipefish
    - Pygmy Seahorses
    - Reefscapes
    - Scorpionfish
    - Sea Stars
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    - Clams & Shells
    - Supermacro
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