Jade Small
Jade Small
November 26, 2024 ·  3 min read

A clam presumed extinct for 40,000 years has been found alive

In an astonishing discovery, scientists have uncovered a clam species believed to have vanished over 40,000 years ago. Known as Cymatioa cooki, this tiny bivalve was thought to exist only in fossil form until its recent reemergence off the coast of California. This remarkable find has left researchers questioning how such a creature could have evaded detection for so long.

A Surprising Discovery in the Tide Pools

Cymatioa cooki clam
A Cymatioa cooki clam (arrow) sits next to a chiton at Naples Point, Calif. The minuscule clam is only about 11 millimeters in length.

In 2018, marine ecologist Jeff Goddard was investigating tide pools near California’s coastline when he spotted something unusual—an unfamiliar, white, translucent clam measuring only about 11 millimeters in length. The clam’s small size and unique appearance intrigued Goddard, prompting him to photograph the specimen and share the images with his colleague, Paul Valentich-Scott, a malacologist at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Valentich-Scott, who was equally puzzled, saw this as a thrilling moment in science. “New discoveries are what make science so exciting,” he remarked upon realizing they had stumbled upon something rare.

Confirmation of a Fossil Species

The two researchers were able to capture a live specimen in 2019, bringing it back to the museum for further examination. After a detailed comparison with fossil records, they found that the living clam closely resembled a specimen first described by paleontologist George Willett in the 1930s. Willett had named the species Cymatioa cooki after Edna Cook, an amateur shell collector who had first recognized the fossil’s distinctiveness among thousands of shells.

Valentich-Scott, upon seeing the original fossil, immediately recognized the connection. “As soon as I saw the original specimen, I knew the clam we found was the same species,” he shared. This confirmation marked a major breakthrough, bridging the gap between ancient fossils and modern discovery.

The Mystery of Its Long Disappearance

While the species’ return to science is exciting, questions remain about how Cymatioa cooki managed to evade detection for so long. One theory suggests that the clam’s habitat could have been located further south, near Baja California, in a remote area where it remained out of reach for researchers. A shift in ocean currents or warm water may have transported clam larvae northward, leading to the discovery of these elusive creatures. So far, Goddard and Valentich-Scott have located at least two live specimens, with the potential for more yet to be found.

A Rare and Important Find

David Jablonski, a paleontologist from the University of Chicago, who was not involved in the research, noted that it is incredibly rare for a species to be discovered first as a fossil and then found alive. This find places Cymatioa cooki in the category of “Lazarus taxa,” animals that were thought to be extinct for long periods before being rediscovered. The discovery not only highlights the surprises that still await in the natural world but also underscores that even in an age of advanced scientific tools and resources, there are still wonders left to uncover.

In their study published in ZooKeys on November 7, Goddard and Valentich-Scott celebrated the triumphant reappearance of this once-lost clam. As Jablonski remarked, “There’s always more to find.” This discovery is a testament to the mysteries of our natural world and the ongoing potential for groundbreaking scientific revelations.

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