MURDER CLAM

Tridacna maxima
Indo-Pacific, 1940
53 × 35 × 44 cm

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This maxima clam (Tridacna maxima), also known as the small giant clam, is a species of bivalve mollusc found throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

For hundreds of years, Tricadna maxima has been a staple of curiosity cabinets and sideshows that spin tall tales to gullible audiences. This is probably why molluscs of this size and upwards are often referred to as ‘murder clams’ in popular culture. But the truth is that even the largest molluscs are of no danger to humans.