"Entotsugai", the longest shellfish in the world that lives in the tropics, was found on Iriomote Island in Okinawa Prefecture for the first time in Japan.

Experts say it's a valuable discovery that reveals the ecology.

This "Entotsugai" was discovered by Dr. Hiroyuki Ozawa of the Okinawa Prefectural Environmental Science Center, who was commissioned by Okinawa Prefecture to conduct a biological survey on Iriomote Island last October, in the sea where mangrove forests spread.



"Entotsugai" is a shellfish that makes a long limestone tube and lives in it. The length of the tube is more than 1.5 meters, and it is considered to be the longest shellfish in the world.



It lives in the tropics such as the Philippines, and it is the first time that it has been confirmed in Japan, so it was announced in the academic journal of the Okinawa Biology Society last month.

Takuma Haga, chief researcher at the National Museum of Nature and Science, who is familiar with the ecology of shellfish, said, "The ecology of enthusiasts is not well understood, and it is the first time in the world to capture the appearance of living on the bottom of the sea. It's a valuable discovery that will be a step forward. "