中英對照讀新聞》Clam makes comeback from extinction off shores of Croatia 瀕臨絕種的蛤蜊在克羅埃西亞海岸重生

地中海巨型蛤蜊「大江珧蛤」的數量回升，讓生物學家大為驚喜。（路透檔案照）

◎孫宇青

A huge clam that was on the verge of extinction has made a comeback, with a surge in numbers in waters off Croatia, marine biologists say.

海洋生物學家表示，一種瀕臨絕種的巨型蛤蜊回來了，牠們在克羅埃西亞附近海域的數量大幅增加。

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The clam, known as the noble pen shell or pinna nobilis, started dying out as a deadly pathogen spread in parts of the Mediterranean around 2016. Numbers plummeted across the region and scientists in Croatia only knew of around 10 surviving in their corner of the Adriatic.

2016年左右，這種被稱為大江珧（音同姚）蛤的蛤蜊開始滅絕，因為一種致命的病原體在地中海部分地區傳播。整個地中海地區的蛤蜊數量開始急劇下降，克羅埃西亞科學家僅知道有10隻存活在亞得里亞海一角。

Then in 2022, a diver spotted a group of 20 near the shore in the north of the Istria peninsula.

在2022年，一名潛水夫在伊斯垂亞半島北部海岸附近發現約20隻大江珧蛤。

In 2023, biologists managed to collect about 100 young specimens and take them to an aquarium. It was a sign that they are still reproducing themselves.

2023年，生物學家設法捕捉到約100隻幼年樣本，並將牠們帶到水族館。這表示牠們仍在自我繁殖。

The clams, whose shells can grow as much as 120 cm, can filter sea water and allow other organisms to flourish.（Reuters）

這種蛤蜊的殼直徑可達120公分，可過濾海水，並促進其他有機體繁衍。（路透）

新聞辭典

on the verge of：慣用片語，瀕臨。例句：Under Colossal finanicial stress, the parents are on the verge of collapse.（在巨大財務壓力下，這對父母瀕臨崩潰。）

die out：慣用片語，滅絕、逐漸消失。例句：The kind of traditional custom begins to die out.（這種傳統習俗正在消失。）

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