The Magnificent Mollusk
Justin Ohnikian
Introduction
Movement
Special Features
Did you know that on the human body there are many special features? But on the clam, I cannot count how many other special features there are. What I find amazing is that an average human can weigh up to 150 pounds, but a clam can weigh up to no more than one pound. A comparison to this petite animal’s size is a hockey puck, but on the other hand, a giant clam is as big as a football, and can weigh up to four hundred pounds. Some special features on this creature is the equal sized shells that help protect this animal. These shells open and close by to muscles that keep it wide open, or tightly closed. It is hard to believe that no two giant clams can have the same color patterns on their outer shells! I find that very amazing. The shells colors can be pink, mauve, yellow, blue, white, or gray.
Obtaining It's Food
The human way of obtaining food, is by putting the food in their mouth and chewing it. But the way clams obtain their food, is much more extraordinary. The clams diet is very small, but these hungry creatures eat a lot of plankton. The clams do it by pumping water through their body, which have many plankton in the water. They also obtain it by sticking out their siphons, or “necks” to eat the plankton.