Geoduck

The geoduck (pronounced /'guː.iː.dʌk/ i.e. "gooey duck"), Panopea abrupta or Panope generosa, is a species of large saltwater clam, also known as the king clam or elephant trunk clam.

The name is derived from a Lushootseed (Nisqually) word gʷídəq word meaning "dig deep", and its phonemically counterintuitive spelling is likely the result of poor transcription. Alternate spellings include gweduc, gweduck and goiduck.

Native to the Pacific Coast of the United States and Canada (primarily Washington, British Columbia, and Southeast Alaska), it is the largest burrowing clam in the world, weighing in at an average of one to three pounds (0.5 - 1.5 kg) at maturity, but specimens weighing over 15 pounds (7.5 kg) and as much as 2 meters (6 ft) in length are not unheard of.

It has a life expectancy of about 146 years, with the oldest recorded at over 160 years. This makes the Geoduck one of the longest-living organisms in the Animal Kingdom. Scientists speculate that the geoduck's longevity is the result of low wear and tear. A geoduck sucks plankton down through its long siphon, filters them for food and ejects its refuse out through a separate hole in the siphon. Adult geoducks have few natural predators, which may also contribute to their longevity. In Alaska, sea otters and dogfish have proved capable of dislodging geoducks; starfish also attack and feed on the exposed geoduck siphon.

Geoducks are broadcast spawners. A female geoduck produces about 5 billion eggs in her century-long lifespan—in comparison, a human female produces about 500 viable ova during the course of her life. It is possible that this fact, in conjunction with the profoundly phallic shape of the siphon, has led to the belief in some cultures that the shellfish has aphrodisiac properties.