Rasta lamyi
Rasta lamyi
Rasta lamyi is a weird-looking, marine bivalve mollusc with long shaggy extensions. Rasta lamyi lives in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea.
Rasta burrows in the sand of shallow water seagrass meadows. The destruction of the sea grass beds habitat poses a threat to the survival of Rasta lamyi.
Species detail
Although the shell of this bivalve is around 4-5 cm in size, it is covered in life with a soft shaggy coating with long thin extensions beyond the shell. In detail these extensions are narrow tubes. The animal has a long cylindrical foot and large gills.
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Taxonomy
Rasta lamyi is a bivalve is covered with a soft shaggy coating and long thin extensions beyond the shell. Find out more about this animals unusual morpgology.
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Distribution, habitat and conservation
Rasta lamyi is known from the northern Red Sea and the Western Indian Ocean. Find out more about its habitat and what can be done to conserve this unusual species.
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Biology
Rasta lamyi lives in a symbiosis with bacteria which are housed in special cells within the large fat gills. Find out more about this fascinating symbiotic relationship.
Images
Rasta lamyi
Rasta lamyi
Rasta lamyi
Rasta lamyi
References
Taylor, J.D, Glover, E.A., Zuschin, M., Dworschak,P.C. & Waitzbauer, W. 2005. Another bivalve with dreadlocks: living Rasta lamyi from Aqaba, Red Sea (Bivalvia: Lucinidae). Journal of Conchology, 38: 489-497
