Lithoredo abatanica – The shipworm that decided wood wasn't enough, and learned to eat through stone
Hidden in a limestone riverbed of Bohol Island in the Philippines lives one of the strangest molluscs ever discovered: Lithoredo abatanica, the first known animal that actually ingests the rock it burrows through. Named after the Abatan River, the only river in the world where it is found, this translucent clam slowly carves tunnels through solid stone using its small, serrated shells as cutting tools. Unlike its more common wood-eating relatives, limestone is its home—and snack—of choice. But after chomping down on all that chalk, exactly how it gains nutrients remains a mystery. Scientists suspect the answer lies in the symbiotic microbes that live inside its gills, which might help process nutrients or extract energy in ways we don't yet understand. Unlocking the potential of this species through genome sequencing could reveal entirely new biological strategies for survival. Crack open the secret of the Philippine chalk-chomping clam – vote for Lithoredo abatanica!