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Window-pane
shell
Family Placunidae
Window-pane shells are sometimes seen in sandy parts of the seagrass
lagoon and near the northern arm of the sand bar.
Really Flat: It is hard to believe
that there is a living animal in such thin, translucent shells! You
can see the outline of the animal if you hold the shells up against
the light. Unlike most bivalves, Windown-pane shells often lie freely
on the sand and are not attached to the ground. However, they cannot
swim about. Sometimes they are seen partially buried.
Windown-pane food: Like other
bivalves, Window-pane shells are filter feeders. When in water, they
open their shells a little. A current of water is generated through
their shell and they sieve out the food particles with their enlarged
gills. When exposed at low tide, they clamp up their shells tightly.
Human uses: In the Philippines,
their lustrous shells are made into handicrafts such as chandeliers
and wind chimes. The animal is also said to produce tiny pearls which
are lead-coloured and irregularly shaped.
Status and threats: Overcollection
is a serious threat to these beautiful creatures in the Philippines. |
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quick
facts
Diameter about 6cm, sometimes seen in the seagrass lagoon
Classification:
Class Bivalvia
Phylum Mollusca |
