![]() are exported and sold to Chinese markets where the demand is huge, apparently due to its aphrodisiac properties. More than 90 percent of geoducks harvested in B.C. Washington’s commercial fishermen and women and their seafood businesses have been devastated over the past year, mostly because of tariffs and loss of sales. While the coronavirus hit the seafood industry fairly hard, and China and Japan are major areas of import for geoduck, there is hope that the market will bounce back to normal. The trading of geoduck is a 50 million dollar industry, at least, with the majority of orders going to Asia. This explains why there are such a plethora of geoducks in the Pacific Northwest! Geoduck Industry and Popularity Females can produce up to 20 million eggs per spawning and may spawn multiple times in one year. During the late spring and early summer, they release their gametes into the water column where fertilization takes place. ![]() Pacific geoducks reach sexual maturity between 2 and 5 years of age. Juveniles are especially susceptible to predators even their siphons are at risk.Īccording to the experts with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife : Video is of a Pacific Northwest Razor Clam and it is similar to how young geoduck will dig themselves into their final home. But a very similar clam digs itself into the ground and showcases what that process looks like. This process has not been captured on film to this date. Once Geoduck dig themselves into the ground, they do not move and stay in the same place for the rest of their lives. When a predator approaches, they do not need to escape and hide-they simply retract its siphon, like a turtle withdraws its head (Smithsonian). ![]() Geoducks dig into the ocean floor or mud beds with their tiny feet and remain relatively sedentary. They draw the phytoplankton down one side of the siphon, while water is filtered and expelled through the other side. They utilize their siphon to eat phytoplankton, which are the microscopic creatures geoducks get their nutrients from geoducks are considered filter-feeders. Their long, double-barreled necks are referred to as siphons. One thing that makes the geoduck so interesting is the way it uses its body to eat and defend itself. ![]() The average weight is about seven pounds, although some have been reported to be up to 14 pounds!Īgain, the geoduck isn’t the most attractive, but it's not always the looks that matter let’s give the guy a break. The neck resembles an aardvark's snout, an elephant's trunk, or a monstrous prehistoric earthworm emerging from a fist-size shell, among other things.Ĭompared to the giant clam that has a massive shell, the geoduck has a very small shell (typically 6 to 8 inches), and its body can stretch to over three feet long. Its long, leathery neck can stretch to the length of a baseball bat or recoil to a wrinkled nub. It is considered the world’s largest burrowing clam, so some of its physical features aid in its daily activities and defense mechanisms.Īn article in Smithsonian Magazine describes the geoduck’s features in such detail, it had to be included in this article: The geoduck is one goofy-looking species. In Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington, the geoduck is a huge part of the commercial fishing industry, where there are hundreds of millions inhabiting these areas ( Smithsonian ). This area is where the largest geoducks thrive, although other species of the creature are known to live around Argentina, New Zealand, and Japan. Their story comes with rich history, fascinating facts, and obscurity.so keep on reading! Location and Geoduck Physical FeaturesĬurrently, you can find the species, geoduck, living as happy as a clam (literally) in Puget Sound, which is located in the Pacific Northwest. Geoduck is actually a delicacy in many countries and is worth a pretty penny. This clam may not resemble an oyster or a scallop, but they are all from the same mollusk family. While its physical features may be disturbing to some, the geoduck (pronounced “gooey duck”), is an interesting species that more people should know about. ![]() The species is quite entertaining to look at and might bring on a few laughs, yet the geoduck is an intriguing creature with neat skills and strange, yet effective behaviors. It is common for people to be awestruck or even confused when they see a photo of a geoduck. ![]()
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