Fate of small giant clams here unclear after 20 years without trace

'Disappearance' could reflect falling quality of habitats suitable for the species: Expert

- Chin Hui Shan

One of Singapore's three remaining giant clam species has not been recorded here in over 20 years, with one expert saying its "disappearance" could reflect the declining quality of habitats suitable for this species.

The alarm bells raised by NUS marine scientist Neo Mei Lin about the fate of the small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) in Singapore comes amid a global review of the conservation status of all 12 species of giant clams, which are iconic organisms found in the Indo-Pacific.

The global assessment of giant clams, published on Oct 28 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), one of the world's largest conservation groups, had highlighted the urgency of taking action to save these animals from extinction.

Playing critical roles in the marine ecosystem, giant clams help to clean up the water column by filtering out nutrients and other larger particles. They are also a food source for fish and crabs.

For the small giant clam, it may be too soon to say if it should be considered extinct in Singapore, Dr Neo, senior research fellow at the NUS Tropical Marine Science Institute, told The Straits Times.

Already, two of Singapore's five native species of giant clams — Tridacna gigas and