gooey duck

Please improve this article if you can. (February 2008) Geoduck

Geoduck in seafood tank Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Bivalvia

Order: Myoida

Family: Hiatellidae

Genus: Panopea

Species: P. abrupta

Binomial name Panopea abrupta

(Conrad, 1849)

The geoduck (pronounced /'gu?i?d?k/ gooey duck[1]), Panopea abrupta, is a species of very large edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Hiatellidae.

The shell of this clam is large, about 15 to over 20 cm in length (about 7 to 9 inches), but the extremely long siphons make the clam itself very much longer than this: the "neck" or siphons alone can be one meter in length. Contents [hide] 1 Etymology 2 Biology 3 Industry and impact 4 Geoducks in culture 5 References 6 External links //

Etymology

The unusual name of the clam is derived from a Lushootseed (Nisqually) word g?íd?q[2] meaning "dig deep", and its phonemically counter intuitive spelling is likely the result of poor transcription. Alternate spellings include gweduc, gweduck and goiduck. It is sometimes known as the king clam, or when translated literally from the Chinese characters ???, the elephant trunk clam.

Biology

Native to the northwest coast of the United States and Canada (primarily Washington and British Columbia), the geoduck 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 15 pounds (7.5 kg) and as much as 2 meters (6 ft) in length are not unheard of[citation needed].

Geoducks are one of the longest-living organisms in the Animal Kingdom. They have a life expectancy of about 146 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. Adult geoducks have few natural predators, which may also contribute to their longevity. In Alaska, sea otters and dogfish have proved capable of dislodging 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.

Industry and impact commercial mollusks abalone clams cockles escargot geoduck periwinkles mussels oysters scallops cephalopods fishing industry fisheries I N D E X This box: view • talk • edit Seafood geoduck display in a Chinese restaurant with price

The world's first geoduck fishery was created in 1970, but demand for the semi-forgotten clam was low due to its texture. Today, they sell in Asia for up to US$30/lb (US$65/kg). Its large, meaty siphon is prized for its savory flavor and