Dead Pinna nobilis, Mediterranean's largest clam on the verge of extinction, are seen in the Adriatic Sea near Pula, Croatia September 17, 2020. REUTERS/Antonio Bronic
ZAGREB (Reuters) - Croatian marine biologists are struggling to save the largest Mediterranean clam from extinction after a precipitious fall in numbers which they say was probably caused by a deadly pathogen.
The clam, known as the noble pen shell or pinna nobilis, plays an important ecological role by filtering sea water and allowing other organisms to flourish. Its shell can reach as much as 4 feet (120 cm).
