Wednesday October 30, 2024
Science Daily —
The giant clam, known for its colorful cape-like mantle, wavy shell and astonishing size, is in danger of going extinct after its population plunged by more than 80% over the last century, according to a new assessment by a University of Colorado Boulder biologist and collaborators.
The assessment, led by Ruiqi Li, a postdoctoral researcher at the CU Museum of Natural History, prompted the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) today to update the conservation status of this animal from “vulnerable” to “critically endangered,” the highest level before a species becomes extinct in the wild. It also adjusted the statuses of 11 other related species, all from the group of animals known as giant clams.
Overfishing and climate change are the major threats endangering these marine invertebrates, Li said.
“Along with coral reefs, these clams provide important habitats for other creatures living in the reefs,” Li said. “They are also important nutrient producers in shallow ocean water, which is generally deprived of food. If the giant clam becomes extinct, it will have significant ecological impacts on tropical oceans.”