Blue Maxima Clams - South Pacific Ocean

Yes, these are living creatures and they were found in the Cook Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. And they really are this colorful!

In the heart of the South Pacific, the Aitutaki Lagoon in the Cook Islands is a paradise known for its crystalline waters and breathtaking marine life. The blue maxima clams, with their iridescent shells, create a mesmerizing display of colors. Their vibrant blues, greens, and purples shimmer and shift with the light, offering a vivid contrast to the sandy seabed and the gentle flow of the lagoon's currents. Each clam is like a jewel, its intricate patterns and hues reflecting the lagoon's pristine environment.

Maxima clams (Tridacna maxima) have tiny single-celled algae living inside their tissue (the fleshy prominent mantle) that provides a large portion of their nutrition. These tiny algae cells, also referred to as zooxanthellae, use photosynthesis to produce sugars and amino acids, which are released to the clam. So even though the clams filter out particles from the water (like other clams do), they don’t depend only on this food source. The algae are the reason the clams are so colorful!

Sadly though, giant clam populations have declined worldwide, mostly due to over-harvesting and pollution. Giant clams have been traditionally used as a food source, and more recently, the aquarium trade has sought after the beautiful-colored species. Older local Cook islanders tell stories about the huge abundance of paua (giant clams) that used to be found in the lagoon when they were children.