Picture a clam the size of a human child and as heavy as a pig. These are roughly the dimensions of the largest Giant Clam ever discovered, a species native to the shallow coral reefs of the South Pacific and Indian Oceans. Given their size, giant clams are unable to close their shells completely - part of the mantle is still visible, protruding like a clam-shaped car boot bursting with treasures from the ocean’s department store.

As humans know, finding a compatible mate isn't always easy. Being a hermaphrodite, the giant clam can't self-fertilise, but it can mate with literally any other member of their species, which definitely makes matters easier. It also boosts their baby-making potential because they can produce double the amount of offspring.