Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, newly cleaned Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) hanging in nets from rafts waiting to be relocated to open sea, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Almost perfect cultured pearl extracted from Golden South Sea Pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima) oyster will then be reused, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, Golden South Sea Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) laid out on trays waiting to have nucleus inserted to initiate cultured pearl growth, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lundgren / Giant / King scallop (Pecten maximus) seabed covered in shells, Moere coastline, Norway, February 2009

Constantinos Petrinos / Giant clam {Tridacna gigas} biggest bivalve species in world, Sulawesi Indonesia. Hermaphrodite producing both eggs and sperm

Pete Oxford / Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas), Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua, Indonesia

Michael Hutchinson / Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and limpets on rock, Cape Province, South Africa, December.

Michael Hutchinson / Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and limpets on rock, Cape Province, South Africa, December.

Pete Oxford / Giant clam (Tridacna sp) Rainbow Reef, Fiji, South Pacific.

Pete Oxford / Giant clam (Tridacna gigas) open, showing mantle. Fiji, South Pacific.

Pete Oxford / Boring giant clam (Tridacna crocea) Fiji, South Pacific.

Pete Oxford / Smooth giant clam (Tridacna derasa) Fiji, South Pacific.