Pacific geoduck

Panopea generosa

Pacific geoducks are giant clams with small shells and remarkably long siphons. They spend most of their lives buried in coastal sediment while filtering food from the water.

Not a fish · an aquatic neighbor

Water

Saltwater

Intertidal and shallow subtidal sand, gravel, and muddy sediments.

Temperature

Range not established

A dependable species-specific wild temperature range was not found in the selected sources.

Size

Shell typically 15–20 cm (6–8 in); siphon up to about 91 cm (3 ft)

The siphon can be about as long as a tall child

Lifespan

Can live for more than 100 years; the oldest recorded specimen was 168 years old.

Life expectancy varies with place, conditions, and what scientists have been able to observe.

01 · Signature adaptation

What does it do?

Adults remain buried and mostly stationary in the sediment. They broadcast-spawn, releasing eggs and sperm into the water, while young larvae drift before settling.

Its superpowerIts long siphon can reach the surface while the clam stays buried deep below.

02 · Home coordinates

Where does it live?

Along the northeastern Pacific coast from Alaska to Baja California.

Regions: Alaska · British Columbia · Pacific Northwest · Baja California

03 · The menu

What does it eat?

It draws water through its siphon and gills, trapping tiny particles as food.

Filter feeder: phytoplankton, suspended organic particles, microalgae.

04 · Remember this

Two wow facts

Century-old clam

Some Pacific geoducks live for well over a century.

Sources [1]

Millions of eggs

A female can release between one and two million eggs in a spawning event.

Sources [1]