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EVEN for the experts, identifying the different species of shells is difficult.

Scientists and researchers may get it right from time to time but erroneous data and different labelling have been obstacles to study and research, said Prof Yoshihisa Shirayama from Kyoto University who recently visited Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).

Prof Yoshihisa, who heads the NaGISA (Natural Geography In Shore Areas) Western Pacific Region Centre, was in Penang to conduct a regional workshop on how to identify bivalves (cockles or shellfish which have two shells).

“We want to promote standardised sampling. The effort is to create a database of accurate and reliable information so we can find patterns of biodiversity on a global scale,” he said.

He said the database would also aid global and regional conservation works as environmental organisations could identify areas which should be conserved.

To identify the different types of bivalves, Dr Akihiko Matsukuma, a paleobiology professor at the Kyushu University Museum in Japan, said one had to look at their anatomy and shell characteristics.

“There are over 20,000 species of bivalves worldwide and about 2,000 can be found here.

“The most common in Malaysia would be the Perna Viridis (green mussels), Meretrix meretrix (a type of kepah) and Anadara granosa (blood cockle),” he said, adding in jest that Meretrix meretrix was his personal favourite due to its delicious taste.

USM School of Biological Sciences lecturer Prof Dr Zulfigar Yasin said the workshop on bivalves was vital as 70% from the country’s aquaculture came from cockles.

“For food security, it’s important to find out the biology and ecology of cockles as they are a major food source to us,” he said.

He said the workshop was the biggest in NaGISA’s history with about 60 participants including researchers coming from Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.