Dr. Dan KillamFor #FlatClamFriday we have the flat tree oyster (Isognomon alatus). These extremely flat bivalves are found in dense aggregations on the roots of mangrove trees, or in rocky areas with high sedimentation. They attach to the mangrove roots with a strong set of byssal threads. Their murky habitat makes them quite cryptic and hard to find, and their preferred mangrove home means habitat destruction is a major threat for them! #clamFacts https://www.shellmuseum.org/post/the-locally-elusive-flat-tree-oyster
The Locally Elusive Flat Tree Oyster
For years I’ve been searching for signs of the Flat Tree Oyster in our area. Not a true oyster, Isognomon alatus (Gmelin, 1791) is a rare find along the coast of Southwest Florida, with very few examples present (single digits) among the larger American museum collections. The species is found throughout the Caribbean, the Keys, and the East Coast of Florida. There are a couple of holdings in our collection from Marco Island, but only recently we confirmed the presence of the species in Lee Coun