@dantheclamman Man I don't know, please tell me!
@arteteco
How to make giant clam:
1. Put mom and dad clam in ocean (they are hermaphrodites)
2. Mass spawning event, release gametes to fertilize in water column all together timed by moon phase + season
3. Embryo grows into planktonic larva, settling eventually on another reef where it bysally attaches to bottom
4. Symbiosis ramps up as clam infected by symbiotic algae and grows its shell and body
5. Clam reaches reproductive size, repeat until world domination achieved
@dantheclamman @arteteco How to make unionid clam:
1. Put male and female clams in freshwater.
2. Male releases sperm into water column.
3. Female sucks in sperm, grows glochidia.
4. (in some species) Female allows modified mantle to act as a lure for fish.
5. (in some species) Fish investigate lure, female releases glochidia, glochidia attach to fish gills.
6. Glochidia grow while attached to fish, then drop off elsewhere in freshwater.
7. Juvenile mussels bury in sediment and repeat.
@arteteco @mattbk freshwater mussels have been in a multi million year crusade of world domination and have colonized all continents except Antarctica. they are little river vikings