Studies on the Indo-Pacific Tridacnidae (Tridacna maxima) from the Northern Red Sea, Egypt

Manal S. Mekawy, Hashem A. Madkour

Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Red Sea Branch, Hurghada, Egypt.

DOI: 10.4236/ijg.2012.35110                

Abstract

In Egypt, Tridacna Maxima are found in Gulf of Suez, Gulf of Aqaba and Red Sea. Tridacna Maxima are very important ecological species as seafood source and as a substrate for reef-associated organisms; therefore we should protect it from extinction. Recently, these species are exposed for many factors of pollution (human activities, tourism and natural resources) that affect the distribution and abundance of it. The main objective of this research is to shed some light on the origin, stratigraphic position, systematic palaeontology and geographic distribution of Tridacna Maxima. In addition to their ecologic and environmental conditions were discussed. Finally, a proposed rules for protection these species from extinction were listed. Individuals of Tridacna Maxima were collected from different sites along the red Sea coast.

Keywords

Tridacna Maxima; Studies; Red Sea; Egypt

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	B. Rinkevich and Y. Loya, “Harmful Effects of Chronic Oil Pollution on a Red Sea Scleractinian Coral Population, Proceedings of the 3rd International Coral Reef Symposium, Miami, 1977, pp. 585-591.
[2]	B. Rinkevich and Y. Loya, “Laboratory Experiments on the Effects of Crude Oil on the Red Sea Coral Stylophra Pistillata,Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 10, No. 11, 1979, pp. 328-330. doi:10.1016/0025-326X(79)90402-8
[3]	W. E. Piller and P. Pervesler, “An Actuoupalaeontological Approach, the Northern Bay of Safaga, (Red Sea, Egypt),Beitr Pal?ont sterr, Vol. 15, 1989, pp. 103 -147.
[4]	H. A. Abdel-Salam, “Impact of Landfilling on Coral Reef Ecosystem of South Magawish, Hurghada, Red Sea,Journal of Egypt Ger Soc Zool, Vol. 12, 1993, pp. 187197.
[5]	S. C. Jameson, M. S. A. Ammar, E. Saadall, H. M. Mostafa and B. Riegl, “A Coral Damage Index and Its Application to Diving Sites in the Egyptian Red Sea, Coral Reefs, Vol. 18, No. 4, 1999, pp. 333-339. doi:10.1007/s003380050208
[6]	A. Ziko, A. S. El-Sorogy, M. M. Aly and H. E. Nour, “Sea Shells as Pollution Indicators, Red Sea Coast, Egypt, Egyption Journal of Paleontol, Vol. 1, 2001, pp. 97-113.
[7]	A. M. Mohammed, “Geochemical Study of Major and Trace Elements in Some Coral Species, Abu-Soma Bay, Red Sea, Egypt, Journal of Environmental Res Zagazig University Egypt, Vol. 4, 2002, pp. 199-213. (Please provide the issue number.)
[8]	M. A. Dar, “Heavy Metals Variability and the Bioaccumulation Mechanism in the Recent Corals, Hurghada, Red Sea, Egypt, Sedimentology of Egypt, Vol. 12, 2004, pp. 119-129.
[9]	H. A. Madkour, “Geochemical and Environmental Studies of Recent Marine Sediments and Some Hard Corals of Wadi El-Gemal Area of the Red Sea, Egypt, Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research, Vol. 31, No. 1, 2005, pp. 69-91.
[10]	H. A. Madkour, “Impacts of Human Activities and Natural Inputs on Heavy Metal Contents of Many Coral Reef Environments along the Egyptian Red Sea Coast, Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 2011. doi:10.1007/s12517-011-0482-5
[11]	H. A. Madkour and M. A. Dar, “The Anthropogenic Effluents of the Human Activities on the Red Seacoast at Hurghada Harbour (Case Study), Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research, Vol. 33, No. 1, 2007, pp. 43-58.
[12]	A. M. Mansour, A. H. Nawar and H. A. Madkour, “Metals Concentration of Recent Invertebrates along the Red sea Coast of Egypt: A Tool for Monitoring Environmental Hazards, Sedimentology of Egypt, Vol. 3, 2005, pp. 171-185.
[13]	A. M. Mansour, A. H. Nawar and H. A. Madkour, “Metal Pollution in Marine Sediments of Selected Harbors and Industrial Areas along the Red Sea Coast of Egypt, Ann Naturhist Mus Wien Serie A, Vol. 113, 2011, pp. 225-244.
[14]	T. A. Mohammed and M. A. Dar, “Ability of Corals to Accumulate Heavy Metals Northern Red Sea, Egypt, Environmental Earth Sciences, Vol. 59, No. 7, 2010, pp. 1525-1534. doi:10.1007/s12665-009-0138-x
[15]	A. M. El-Taher and H. A. Madkour, “Distribution and Environmental Impacts of Metals and Natural Radionuclides in Marine Sediments in Front of Different Wadies Mouth along the Egyptian Red Sea Coast, Applied Radiation and Isotopes, Vol. 69, No. 2, 2011, pp. 550-558. doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2010.11.010
[16]	M. Harzhauser, O. Mandic, W. E. Piller, M. Reuter and A. Kroh, “Tracing Back the Origin of the Indo-Pacific Mollusc Fauna: Basal Tridacninae from the Oligocene and Miocene of the Sultanate of Oman, Paleontology, Vol. 51, No. 1, 2008, pp. 199-213. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00742.x
[17]	W. A. Newman and E. D. Gomez, “On the Status of Giant Clams, Relics of Tethys (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Tridacninae), Proceedings of the 9th International Coral Reef Symposium, Bali, 23-27 October 2000, pp. 927-936.
[18]	F. R?gl, “Palaeogeographic Considerations for Mediterranean and Paratethys Seaways (Oligocene to Miocene), Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien,Vol. 99A, 1998, pp. 279-310.
[19]	M. Harzhauser, W. E. Piller and F. F. Steininger, “Circum-Mediterranean Oligo/Miocene Biogeographic Evolution—The Gastropods Point of View, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, Vol. 183, No. 1-2, 2002, pp. 103-133. doi:10.1016/S0031-0182(01)00464-3
[20]	R. K. Wye, “The Encyclopedia of Shells, Oxford University Press, New York, 1991.
[21]	A. S. Othman, G. H. S. Goh and P. A. Todd, “The Distribution and Status of Gant Clams (Family Tridacnidae)— A Short Review, The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Vol. 58, No. 1, 2010, pp. 103-111.
[22]	P. Colin and A. Arneson, “Mollusks: Tropical Pacific Invertebrates, Coral Reef Press, Beverly, 1995.
[23]	R. L. Hean and O. J. Cacho, “A Growth Model for Giant Clams Tridacna Crocea and T. Derasa, Ecological Modelling, Vol. 163, No. 1-2, 2002, p. 944.
[24]	H. A. Madkour and M. Y. Ali, “Heavy Metals in the Benthic Foraminifera from the Coastal Lagoons, Red Sea, Egypt: Indicators of Anthropogenic Impact on Environment (Case Study), Environmental Geology, Vol. 58, No. 3, 2009, pp. 543-553. doi:10.1007/s00254-008-1529-0