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Giant Floater
ExploreInvertebrate
Giant Floater
Pyganodon grandis
The Giant Floater is a big, friendly clam that lives in rivers and lakes. It has a smooth, shiny shell and loves to filter tiny food from the water around it.
Habitat: Freshwater lakes and rivers
Appearance
The Giant Floater has a large, oval, thin shell, typically yellowish-brown to dark brown. Its inner shell surface often shines with iridescent bluish-white or purple hues. It often looks smooth but can show distinct growth rings.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumMolluscaClassBivalviaOrderUnionidaFamilyUnionidaeGenusPyganodon
Category
InvertebrateRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Giant Floaters can breathe underwater using special filters in their bodies!
It can live longer than some pets, growing for over 20 years!
Its shell shines with amazing rainbow colors on the inside.
This clam has special babies that ride on fish like tiny hitchhikers!
Special abilities
Ability
Super Filter
Giant Floater can filter many gallons of water daily because its gills have tiny pores that trap food particles.
Ability
Mud Mover
Giant Floater has a powerful muscular 'foot' that helps them slowly burrow into soft lake bottoms for safety.
Ability
Hitchhiker Babies
Giant Floater's babies temporarily attach to fish gills because this helps them travel to new homes!
Measurements & details
- Length
- 10-25 cm
- Weight
- 100-400 g
- Lifespan
- 10-25 years
Diet & Feeding
This mussel is a natural water filter, munching on tiny bits like algae and bacteria.
Primary Foods
- Algae
- Bacteria
- Phytoplankton
- Detritus
Foraging Method
- Filter Feeding
Ecological connections
depends on
Largemouth Bass
Micropterus salmoides
Its babies (glochidia) temporarily attach to fish gills to grow.
eats
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
Muskrats are known to prey on adult mussels for food.
eaten by
Green Alga
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
It filters and consumes microscopic algae from the water.
Traits
Solitary
Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
Filter Feeder
Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water.
Herbivorous
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Longevous
This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.
Freshwater
Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species.
Keystone Species
Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.
Giant
Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Always wash your hands after touching water or mud where clams live.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Giant Floater?
10-25 cm
How much does Giant Floater weigh?
100-400 g
How long does Giant Floater live?
10-25 years
What does Giant Floater eat?
This mussel is a natural water filter, munching on tiny bits like algae and bacteria.
Where is Giant Floater usually found?
Freshwater lakes and rivers
How does Giant Floater hunt?
Filter Feeding
Snap Map
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