Geoduck clam
Panopea generosa
- Not on exhibit
- Animal type
- Invertebrates
- Ecosystem
- Coastal wetlands
- Relatives
- Clams, scallops, oysters, mussels
- Diet
- Drifting food particles
- Range
- Alaska to Baja California
- Size
- Shell up to about 6 inches (15 cm) long
Meet the geoduck clam
All clams burrow, but long-necked species like the geoduck sink lower than their short-necked kin. Staying buried in mud is safer than living exposed on the mud's surface. These clams can manage to eat, breathe, and reproduce—all from beneath the mud by—sticking their necks out. Through this neck, or siphon, a clam sucks in food and water and sends out eggs or sperm. At ebb tide, clams pull in their siphons. If you visit a slough, look for telltale holes in the mud.
Conservation
Many kinds of plants, birds, fish, shellfish, and other animals depend on the special mix of fresh and salt water found in sloughs and estuaries. When we protect wetlands against development, we protect the homes of many animals like the geoduck.
Cool facts
- The geoduck is the largest and deepest burrowing clam in California. "Geoduck" is believed to be derived from a Nisqually Indian phrase meaning "big deep."
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