Hippopus hippopus

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular names
English : Bear paw clam
French : Bénitier patte-d’ours

Classification
Class : Bivalvia
Order : Cardiida
Family : Cardiidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
Asymetrical shell with a triangular shape. Shell coloration brown with faint reddish marks and dark lines. Mantle variable in color as it adapts to its environment but has fine clear wavy lines. Never extended outside the shell’s rim.

Range and habitat
Indo-Pacific region from Gulf of Thailand and Singapore to Indonesia, south to Australia, east to Samoa and Marshall Island. Always found on sandy bottoms, near reefs, at depth down to 30 meters.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : CONSERVATION DEPENDENT
CITES : Appendix II
Status : The species is extinct in parts of its range because of overcollection. It’s still heavily collected near China despite legal protection.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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