Appearance
It is distinguished by the large, leaf-like fluted edges on its shell called 'scutes' and a byssal opening that is small compared to those of other members of the Tridacnidae family. Normal coloration of the mantle ranges from browns and purples to greens and yellows arranged in elongated linear or spot-like patterns. "Tridacna squamosa" grows to 40 centimetres across.Sessile in adulthood, the clam's mantle tissues act as a habitat for the symbiotic single-celled dinoflagellate algae from which it gets a major portion of its nutrition. By day, the clam spreads out its mantle tissue so that the algae receive the sunlight they need to photosynthesize.
Status
The IUCN lists this clam as lower risk, but dependent on conservation efforts.References:
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