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The geoduck, Panopea abrupta, is a species of very
large saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in
the family Hiatellidae.
The shell of this clam is large, about 15 to over
20 cm in length (about 7 to 9 inches), but the extremely
long siphons make the clam itself very much longer
than this: the "neck" or siphons alone
can be one meter in length.
Geoducks are one of the longest-living organisms
in the Animal Kingdom. They have a life expectancy
of about 146 years, with the oldest recorded at
over 160 years. Scientists speculate that the geoduck's
longevity is the result of low wear and tear. A
geoduck sucks plankton down through its long siphon,
filters them for food and ejects its refuse out
through a separate hole in the siphon. Adult geoducks
have few natural predators, which may also contribute
to their longevity. In Alaska, sea otters and dogfish
have proved capable of dislodging geoducks; starfish
also attack and feed on the exposed geoduck siphon... |
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