2026-10-08 22:47 UTC
New solar-powered clam just dropped, part of a small club that partner with algae in their bodies for food! Geloina expansa lives in mangroves in South Asia and farms algae called zooxanthellae in its gills, the same type that corals partner with in a process called photosymbiosis. This is a major topic of research interest for me, so I always drop everything when a new paper about bivalve photosymbiosis comes out. Almost all photosymbiotic bivalves, including giant clams, are in the cockle family, but G. expansa is now among the <5 extant species from other bivalve families. #clamFacts https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s44289-026-00168-8
Replies (2)
-
@nev@flipping.rocks 2026-10-08 23:46
@dantheclamman@scicomm.xyz What!!!!
-
@Blort@social.tchncs.de 2026-10-09 02:07
@dantheclamman@scicomm.xyz This is why I love the fedi. Somehow I always come across fascinatingly random stuff that I have absolutely no background knowledge in, such as photosynthesizing clams! Thanks for sharing! ❤️ Side note: "I always drop everything when a new paper about bivalve photosymbiosis comes out" Is that really a fairly regular thing?!