Tiny Clam Species Found Crawling Among Sea Urchin Spines Off South Africa‌ ‌

The newly discovered species, Brachiomya ducentiunus, crawling on a sea urchin spine. CRAIG FOSTER VIA SWNS

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A species of clam that spends its entire life crawling between the spines of sea urchins has been found off the coast of South Africa.

The discovery of the creature, which is less than an eighth of an inch long, sheds new light on a little-known group of marine mollusks called galeommatoidean bivalves, say scientists.

Marine biologist Dr. Paul Valentich-Scott, of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History in the US, led the research along with colleagues from the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University and the Sea Change Trust in South Africa, plus the University of Colorado Boulder in the US.

Dr. Valentich-Scott said their findings, published in the journal ZooKeys, offer a “curious glimpse” into the habitats, symbiotic relationships, and taxonomy of the “interesting” creatures.

The study focused on four species of galeommatoidean bivalves collected from the Western Cape region of South Africa.

Among them was one new species, Brachiomya ducentiunus.

Dr. Valentich-Scott said the tiny clam, which is just two millimeters in length, spends its life crawling between the spines of sea urchins.

The new species has so far only been found in False Bay, South Africa, where it was discovered attached to the burrowing sea urchin Spatagobrissus mirabilis in coarse gravel at a depth of around three meters (10 feet).

It has not been observed free-living, without the host urchin, says the research team.