Recognizing a clam is not a complicated job, however, it should be noted that bivalves are known by the name of clam, which is nothing more than molluscs that have a shell composed of two valves arranged laterally. The bivalves group more than 13 thousand different species which have different sizes and often different forms of construction of their shells, being in most cases marine species.
The place where the clams live is usually buried under sand or mud, where they develop depending on the availability of resources around them and factors such as salinity, and temperature, among others. Some species are used by man in a culinary way, being a highly valued dish in certain markets around the world due to their characteristic flavor and consistency.
CLAMS CHARACTERISTICS
Clams have flattened and soft body which is covered or protected with two strong and hard shells, the way in which this animal buries its body in the sand is thanks to a muscular foot and it is also the way in which they move the clams respiration is carried out by means of two gills that are arranged in the region of the head.
The way in which clams reproduce is often the subject of doubt for many people, however, it is not a complicated process; It must first be clarified that clams are unisexual animals, so males and females can be found separately, this would lead one to think that it complicates reproduction a bit, so clams usually release their sexual cells into the water, where They are fertilized by the sex cells of other clams. After this process, the veligers are born that, after growing as larvae, look for sand or mud to bury themselves and begin their metamorphosis process to become an adult clams.
WHAT DO CLAMS EAT?
Clams feed simply but very efficiently. Talking about what clams eat, freshwater clams or river clams are not far from the diet of sea clams, since all of them feed on organic remains that are suspended in the water.
The feeding process of the clams is possible by filtering the water, this means that the clams, after attaching themselves to rocks or burying themselves in the sand or mud, begin the process of sucking in and expelling water that allows them to make small organic particles. such as phytoplankton, zooplankton, and detritus, among many others. The availability of these foods determines the speed and how much a clam will grow according to the maximum sizes of its species, being able to find some with a size of 15 decimeters.
It is necessary to point out that some species of clams are parasitic and it is not uncommon to find them living on some sea urchins, starfish, and certain crustaceans where it is easier for them to obtain food.
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