These clams are known as “angelwing clams”, “diwal” in the Philippines, “mentarang” in Malaysia, “pim” in Thailand, and “tembarang” or “bintarang” in Indonesia. They can be found in film mud, clay and shale.
Members of the class Bivalvia are mostly gonochoric, some are protandric hermaphrodites. Collected by divers using an iron or wooden paddle-shaped implement or bare hands to dig the animals from their burrows.
Size: maximum shell length 12 cm, commonly up to 9 cm Elongate-ovate inaequilateral shell , longer than high, widens towards the umbo. Anterior end round, posterior end narrow.
Life cycle: Mature eggs measured 50 μm in diameter. Cell division occurred within 36 min after fertilization. Mobile trochophore larvae were seen after 12 h and larvae developed within 18 h. Embryos develop into free-swimming trocophore larvae, succeeded by the bivalve veliger, resembling a miniature clam.
Pholas orientalis
