Shutterstock... moreEverything You Need to Know About Geoducks
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From microscopic plankton to intimidating, deep sea lantern fish, the creatures that live in the ocean are as varied and unfamiliar as if they lived on another planet. Among these strange looking alien creatures, the geoduck of the Northwest Coastal U.S. has earned a reputation as one of the weirdest looking (it might make you blush) and most delicious mollusks to meet the American plate. Here, now, is a primer on this sand burrowing bivalve.
What is a geoduck?
First off, it's pronounced "gooey duck." Contrary to what one might think, it's not related to a duck at all. The Nisqually — a Native American tribe located in western Washington — coined the term gweduc, meaning "dig deep" and referring to the way this bivalve burrows far below the seafloor. Europeans later reinterpreted the native spelling and pronunciation.
Geoduck is a large clam with simple anatomy. There are two major parts to remember: the siphon or neck, which... less
