''Panopea zelandica'', commonly known as the deepwater clam or New Zealand geoduck, is a large

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

bivalve Bivalvia (), in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class of marine and freshwater molluscs that have laterally compressed bodies enclosed by a shell consisting of two hinged parts. As a group, bival ...

mollusc Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...

in the ''

Panopea In Greek mythology, Panopea (Ancient Greek: Πανόπεια ''Panopeia'') or Panope (Πανόπη) may refer to various characters. The names mean 'panorama' or means 'of the beautiful husband'. * Panope or Poenope,Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' Preface ( ...

'' (geoduck) genus of the family

Hiatellidae Hiatellidae is a taxonomic family of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs. This family is placed in the order Adapedonta.Bieler R., Carter J.G. & Coan E.V. (2010). Classification of Bivalve families. Pp. 113-133, in: Bouchet P. & Rocroi J. ...

. It is also sometimes called a king clam, or a gaper – in reference to the shell not being closed at either end. It is found around the

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

South South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...

and Stewart islands and occurs mainly in shallow waters (5–25 metres) in sand and mud off sandy ocean beaches.Deepwater (King) Clam fishery summary
- New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries. Another geoduck species, '' Panopea smithae'', is found in deeper New Zealand waters. Like other geoducks, ''P. zelandica'' burrows downwards in the mud and extends a siphon 30-45 centimetres up to the surface of the substrate. The siphon contains two tubes. Water is sucked down one tube, filtered for food and then expelled through the other. left, 200px, Inside view of ''Panopea zelandica'' shell left, 200px, End-on view of ''Panopea zelandicas gape

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7131461 Hiatellidae Bivalves of New Zealand Bivalves described in 1835