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Elongate clam

Tridacna maxima

  • Molluscs
  • IUCN: Least concern
  • Usual depth10–17 m
  • Water temperature22–30 °C
  • Best monthsSeptember
  • How commonCommon
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About this species

Tridacna maxima, also known as the maxima clam or the small giant clam, is a species of bivalve mollusc found throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Maxima clam”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

  • January: 52 records
  • February: 126 records
  • March: 125 records
  • April: 165 records
  • May: 183 records
  • June: 311 records
  • July: 256 records
  • August: 107 records
  • September: 889 records
  • October: 86 records
  • November: 88 records
  • December: 98 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 10–17 m · Deepest record: 38 m

  • 0–10 m: 122 records
  • 10–20 m: 1,222 records
  • 20–30 m: 5 records
  • 30–40 m: 2 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 22–30 °C

  • 20–22 °C: 1 records
  • 22–24 °C: 2 records
  • 24–26 °C: 14 records
  • 26–28 °C: 25 records
  • 28–30 °C: 149 records

Names and classification

English
Elongate clam, Elongated clam, Small giant clam, elongate clam, elongated clam, small giant clam
Names in 4 more languages
German
Kleine Riesenmuschel, Längliche Riesenmuschel
French
Bénitier
Japanese
シラナミガイ
Simplified Chinese
長硨磲蛤

Other scientific names: Tridachnes maxima, Tridacna (Chametrachea) maxima, Tridacna acuticostata, Tridacna compressa, Tridacna detruncata, Tridacna elongata, Tridacna fossor, Tridacna imbricata, Tridacna lanceolata, Tridacna mutica, Tridacna reevei, Tridacna rudis

Similar species

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

  • Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
  • Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
  • Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
  • 11,037 open-data records from 1798 to 2023.

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