Quantification of water squirting by juvenile fluted giant clams (Tridacna squamosa L.)

Neo, Mei Lin; Todd, Peter A.

doi:10.1007/s10164-010-0226-0

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Visually mediated behaviours such as shadow and sight responses form a major component of the anti-predatory mechanisms employed by both juvenile and adult giant clams (Wilkens 1986 ). The squirting described by Stasek ( 1965 ) and Neo and Todd ( 2011b ) probably has multiple functions including predator deterrence and removal of rejecta from the mantle cavity. How well giant clams can ‘aim’ their squirts remains to be empirically tested.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This suggests that ‘aiming’ with the exhalant siphon, as described in adult T. maxima adults (Stasek 1965 ), also occurs in juvenile clams. Neo and Todd ( 2011b ) analysed stills from video recordings of squirting juvenile T. squamosa (for an example see Fig. 4 ) to calculate the initial velocity, force and pressure exerted by each squirt on an object.…”

Section: Anti-predator Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Visual responses (i.e. sudden retraction of the colourful mantle and valve adduction) are likely to be more important in startling potential predators than the squirting response from either siphon apertures (Neo and Todd 2011b ). Nevertheless, prolonged predatory pressures that result in repeated valve closure, and hence interrupted feeding and mantle exposure, will affect giant clam energy budgets and growth rates.…”

Section: Why Understanding Giant Clam Behaviour Is Important For Theimentioning

confidence: 99%

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The behaviour of giant clams (Bivalvia: Cardiidae: Tridacninae)

Soo

Todd

2014

Mar Biol

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Giant clams, the largest living bivalves, live in close association with coral reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific. These iconic invertebrates perform numerous important ecological roles as well as serve as flagship species—drawing attention to the ongoing destruction of coral reefs and their associated biodiversity. To date, no review of giant clams has focussed on their behaviour, yet this component of their autecology is critical to their life history and hence conservation. Almost 100 articles published between 1865 and 2014 include behavioural observations, and these have been collated and synthesised into five sections: spawning, locomotion, feeding, anti-predation, and stress responses. Even though the exact cues for spawning in the wild have yet to be elucidated, giant clams appear to display diel and lunar periodicities in reproduction, and for some species, peak breeding seasons have been established. Perhaps surprisingly, giant clams have considerable mobility, ranging from swimming and gliding as larvae to crawling in juveniles and adults. Chemotaxis and geotaxis have been established, but giant clams are not phototactic. At least one species exhibits clumping behaviour, which may enhance physical stabilisation, facilitate reproduction, or provide protection from predators. Giant clams undergo several shifts in their mode of acquiring nutrition; starting with a lecithotrophic and planktotrophic diet as larvae, switching to pedal feeding after metamorphosis followed by the transition to a dual mode of filter feeding and phototrophy once symbiosis with zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium spp.) is established. Because of their shell weight and/or byssal attachment, adult giant clams are unable to escape rapidly from threats using locomotion. Instead, they exhibit a suite of visually mediated anti-predation behaviours that include sudden contraction of the mantle, valve adduction, and squirting of water. Knowledge on the behaviour of giant clams will benefit conservation and restocking efforts and help fine-tune mariculture techniques. Understanding the repertoire of giant clam behaviours will also facilitate the prediction of threshold levels for sustainable exploitation as well as recovery rates of depleted clam populations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Anti-predator Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Why Understanding Giant Clam Behaviour Is Important For Theimentioning

confidence: 99%

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The behaviour of giant clams (Bivalvia: Cardiidae: Tridacninae)

Soo

Todd

2014

Mar Biol

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“…Efforts to conserve giant clams in Singapore are underway [2], [22] with baseline research conducted on their distribution [1], [3], autecology [23], [24], [25] and behaviour [26], [27]. Regionally, studies on depleted giant clam populations have examined the fundamental genetic structures of broodstock populations vis-á-vis enhancing genetic diversity in progeny batches [28], [29] and reintroducing captive-reared clams onto reefs [30].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recruitment constraints in Singapore's fluted giant clam (Tridacna squamosa) population—A dispersal model approach

et al. 2013

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Recruitment constraints on Singapore's dwindling fluted giant clam, Tridacna squamosa, population were studied by modelling fertilisation, larval transport, and settlement using real-time hydrodynamic forcing combined with knowledge of spawning characteristics, larval development, behaviour, and settlement cues. Larval transport was simulated using a finite-volume advection-diffusion model coupled to a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. Three recruitment constraint hypotheses were tested: 1) there is limited connectivity between Singapore's reefs and other reefs in the region, 2) there is limited exchange within Singapore's Southern Islands, and 3) there exist low-density constraints to fertilisation efficacy (component Allee effects). Results showed that connectivity among giant clam populations was primarily determined by residual hydrodynamic flows and spawning time, with greatest chances of successful settlement occurring when spawning and subsequent larval dispersal coincided with the period of lowest residual flow. Simulations suggested poor larval transport from reefs located along the Peninsular Malaysia to Singapore, probably due to strong surface currents between the Andaman Sea and South China Sea combined with a major land barrier disrupting larval movement among reefs. The model, however, predicted offshore coral reefs to the southeast of Singapore (Bintan and Batam) may represent a significant source of larvae. Larval exchange within Singapore's Southern Islands varied substantially depending on the locations of source and sink reefs as well as spawning time; but all simulations resulted in low settler densities (2.1–68.6 settled individuals per 10,000 m2). Poor fertilisation rates predicted by the model indicate that the low density and scattered distribution of the remaining T. squamosa in Singapore are likely to significantly inhibit any natural recovery of local stocks.

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Ecology of bivalves

Gosling¹

2015

Marine Bivalve Molluscs

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Quantification of water squirting by juvenile fluted giant clams (Tridacna squamosa L.)

Cited by 6 publications

References 22 publications

The behaviour of giant clams (Bivalvia: Cardiidae: Tridacninae)

The behaviour of giant clams (Bivalvia: Cardiidae: Tridacninae)

Recruitment constraints in Singapore's fluted giant clam (Tridacna squamosa) population—A dispersal model approach

Ecology of bivalves

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