PRJNA867692
Range Expansion and First Observation of Tridacna noae (Cardiidae: Tridacninae) in American Samoa
Giant clams are keystone species on coral reefs, but global demand for their harvest has decimated populations and resulted in all Tridacnids being listed on both CITES and IUCN lists. However, giant clams are notoriously difficult to identify, and recent molecular work has revealed that morphological misidentification of giant clams have confounded current population assessments and extinction risk. The most recent study of the status of giant clams in the Samoan Archipelago was published in a journal over 20 years ago, without molecular corroboration of visual identifications. Using morphologic characteristics and ez-RAD genetic techniques, we identify the existence of Tridacna noae in the Samoan archipelago, presenting the first observation and a resulting range expansion. Accurately identifying the extant species in the archipelago is the first step towards a much-needed population status assessment to effectively manage these long-lived species.