Cristaria Plicata, commonly known as the Asian freshwater clam or the Chinese pond mussel, is a bivalve mollusk species. It belongs to the family Unionidae and is native to East Asia, particularly China, Japan, and Korea.
These clams typically inhabit freshwater environments, such as rivers, lakes, and ponds. They have a distinctive shell with a thin, elongated shape, resembling a folded fan. The shell comprises two hinged valves that can open and close, allowing the clam to filter feed and burrow into the substrate.
Now, researchers have unlocked the secrets behind the extraordinary durability and flexibility of the hinge in the bivalve shell of Cristaria Plicata. The hinge of bivalve shells is an engineering marvel, enduring hundreds of thousands of repetitive opening-and-closing motions throughout the mollusk's lifetime.
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