DISTRIBUTIONAND ABUNDAIVCE OF THE GlAlvT CLAM TRIDACNAMAXIMA (BIVALVIA: TRlDACNIDAE) IN THE NORTHERN RED SEA

DISTRIBUTIONAND ABUNDAIVCE OF THE GlAlvT CLAM
TRIDACNAMAXIMA (BIVALVIA: TRlDACNIDAE) IN THE

NORTHERN RED SEA

By
R.KILADA*, S. ZAKARIA, AND M. E. FARGHALLI
*Suez Canal University, Faculty a/Science, Dept ofMarine Science. Ismailia-Egypt.
Key words: giant clams, Tridacna, Tridacnidae, Bivalvia, Red Sea.
•4BSTRACT
Giant clam .nopulatidns were compared in 5 different sites, on the
southern coaSI ofthe Sinai Peninsula, at the northern Red Sea. The sites
varied in the;r substratu and;n their exposure to the surface currents.
Site 1 was the least” in its exposure to the surface current, while site 5
was the most expofled site compared with the other sites. Eight depths
(between [he reef flal and 20 m deep) were surveyed in each site in
yl/hich Tridacna maxima was the dominant species, while T. squamosa
was very rare. There 1-rere Oilly 45 clams ofthe latter species, compared
with 6709 clams ofthe forme… during the study. Clam abundance varied
.ANOVA”
signt”ficantly
P