Geoduck

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{{Taxobox | color = pink | name = Geoduck | status = Conservation status: Lower risk | image = Geoduck.jpg | image_width = 250px | image_caption = Pacific geoduck clam | regnum = Animalia | phylum = Mollusca | classis = Bivalvia | ordo = Myoida | familia = Hiatellidae | genus = Panopea | species = P. abrupta | binomial = Panopea abrupta | binomial_authority = Conrad, 1849 }} The geoduck (pronounced Template:IPA),[1] Panopea abrupta or Panope generosa, is a species of large saltwater clam, also known as the king clam or elephant trunk clam.

The name is derived from a Nisqualli Indian word meaning "dig deep", and its phonemically counterintuitive spelling is likely the result of poor transcription. Alternate spellings include gweduc, gweduck and goiduck.

Native to the Pacific Coast of the United States and Canada (primarily Washington, British Columbia, and Southeast Alaska), it is the largest burrowing clam in the world, weighing in at an average of one to three pounds (0.5 - 1.5 kg) at maturity, but specimens weighing over 10 pounds (5 kg) and as much as a metre (3 feet) in length are not unheard of. The world's largest geoduck was found in Pierce County, Washington in 1913 weighing in at 1300 pounds and approximately 25 feet long.

It has a life expectancy of more than 100 years, with the oldest recorded at over 160 years. Scientists speculate that the geoduck's longevity is the result of low wear and tear. A geoduck sucks plankton down through its long siphon, filters them for food and ejects its refuse out through a separate hole in the siphon. Geoducks have few natural predators which may also contribute to their longevity. In Alaska, sea otters and dogfish have proved capable of dislodging adult geoducks. Starfish also attack and feed on the exposed geoduck siphon.

Geoducks are broadcast spawners. A female geoduck produces about 5 billion eggs in her century-long lifespan—in comparison, a human female produces about 500 viable ova during the course of her life. It is possible that this fact, in conjunction with the phallic shape of the siphon, has led to the belief that the shellfish has aphrodisiac properties.

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Industry

The world's first geoduck fishery was created in 1970, but demand for the semi-forgotten clam was low. Today, they sell in Asia for up to US$30/lb (US$65/kg). The Jumbo clam, like abalone, is highly regarded in Chinese cuisine. Its large, meaty siphon is prized for its tasty (umami) flavour and crunchy texture. It is extremely popular in Hong Kong, China and Japan, where it is considered a rare taste treat. Geoduck is mostly eaten cooked in a fondue-style Chinese hot pot or raw sashimi style, dipped in soy sauce and wasabi. On Japanese menus, geoduck is called mirugai (海松貝) or mirukuigai (水松喰貝). (Although mirugai is sometimes translated to English as "Giant Clam", it is distinguished from "Himejako" sushi made from Tridacna gigas.)

The geoduck's high market value has created an 80-million-U.S.-dollar annual industry, with harvesting occurring in both Washington state and the province of British Columbia. It is one of the most closely regulated fisheries in the both countries; in Washington, Department of Natural Resources staff are on the water continually, monitoring harvests, and the same is true in Canada where the Underwater Harvesters' Association manages the Canadian Fishery in conjunction with Canada's Department of Fisheries and Ocean. Demand has also led to a rapidly developing aquaculture industry.

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Trivia

The geoduck is the official mascot of The Evergreen State College, located at the southernmost tip of Puget Sound in Olympia, Washington. The school's Latin motto, Omnia Extares (or, "let it all hang out") could partially be intended as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the creature's appearance.

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External links

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