History Main / ClamTrap

%%* A common problem in 1960s television series when the characters end up in the sea; happened at least once in ''Series/{{Tarzan}}''.%%Generic, zero-context example.

* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' story "Genesis of the Daleks", Harry Sullivan manages to accidentally step into a giant terrestrial mollusc that [[EvilutionaryBiologist Davros]] created, and get trapped by it. Despite them being somewhat immobile. Referenced decades later in "The Magician's Apprentice", when a Skaro soldier contacts his superiors about "clam drones" being deployed near his position.

[[quoteright:320:[[Anime/{{Pokemon}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/clam_trap.jpg]]]]

* In ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'', a Clamperl (an oyster-like Pokémon) bites down on Meowth's tail in the episode "Clamperl of Wisdom".

* ''VideoGame/EscapeLala 2'': A giant clam guards a cube-shaped pearl that you need to proceed. If you try to take the pearl, the clam will slam shut.

How anthropomorphized the clams are tends to vary, too. They may be given features such as [[ClamshellsAsMouths eyes on their top shell, or a tongue inside their shells; sometimes their eyes are inside their shells as well]]. They can also range from mindless and neutral to sentient and evil -- all that matters is that they bite.

->''"Earth, What a planet. On Earth, you enjoy eating a tasty clam. On my planet, clam enjoy eating a tasty you!"''

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' has the [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=108816 Giant Oyster]]. It can clamp onto a tapped creature and keep it tapped (which prevents it from doing much) while also slowly killing it by putting a -1/-1 counter it each turn. It can also release the creature, which removes all -1/-1 counters from it. Presumably, the idea is that the clamped creature slowly drowns, but is able to swim back to the surface for air if released.

* While there's little evidence of this happening to humans, it definitely ''does'' [[http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2010/07/10/clam-kills-oystercatcher/ happen to seabirds]]. To be fair, this is more a case of the bivalve desperately defending itself from a seabird determined to eat ''it'' than vice versa.
* In [[https://imgur.com/a/nVwhiTX this video]], a mongoose was found with its paw stuck in a clam.

* Happens to a deep-sea diver in the prequel tie-in novel for ''Film/KingKong2005''. In this case, it's actually an oyster -- an oyster the size of a dining table, in keeping with nearby Skull Island's wildlife gigantism -- and the diver's foot got caught because he was walking ''backwards'' to try and avoid a GiantEnemyCrab without toppling over in his awkward hard-hat suit.

* In the 1960s ''Series/Batman1966'' series, Robin gets "eaten" by a clam just before one of the {{Cliff Hanger}}s. He is eventually rescued, of course, and that night Aunt Harriet cooks clam chowder, which Batman suggests could count as a manner of revenge.

* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'': In "[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S06E24SamsonVsTheVampireWomen Samson vs. the Vampire Women]]", Mike tries to eat a clam, only for it to snap down on the crackers he placed on it, then his fork, and then, when he takes a close look at it, his nose.
* In the ''Series/SesameStreet'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkd5dJIVjgM parody]] of'' Advertising/TheManYourManCouldSmellLike'', featuring Grover, the "clam with two tickets to that thing you love" snaps shut on his nose.
* A common problem in 1960s television series when the characters end up in the sea; happened at least once in ''Series/{{Tarzan}}''.

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' has the [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=108816 Giant Oyster]]. It can clamp onto a tapped creature and keep it tapped (which prevents it from doing much) while also slowly killing it by putting a -1/-1 counter it each turn. It can also release the creature, which removes all -1/-1 counters from it. Presumably, the idea is that the clamped creature slowly drowns, but is able to swim back to the surface for air if released.

* ''VideoGame/Pikmin2001'': One of the enemies is the Pearly Clamclamp, a clam that opens its mouth when the Pikmin attack the pearl it is protecting (or in one case, the Radiation Canopy, [[PlotCoupon one of the pieces of Captain Olimar's ship, the S.S. Dolphin]]). If the Pikmin aren't called back fast enough, the Pearly Clamclamp will close its mouth over them and eat them, even doing so after they've recovered its pearl. The pearl it guards can produce 50 Pikmin when brought back to one of the Onions.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse2013'' short "[[Recap/MickeyMouseS3E8WondersOfTheDeep Wonders of the Deep]]", Professor Von Drake is swallowed by a giant clam and Mickey and Donald try to save him.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyRescueAtMidnightCastle'': Applejack and Megan are trapped inside a giant clam shell after falling into a river, which is quickly opened when the Sea Ponies begin their song.

* ''VideoGame/Pikmin1'': One of the enemies is the Pearly Clamclamp, a clam that opens its mouth when the Pikmin attack the pearl it is protecting (or in one case, the Radiation Canopy, [[PlotCoupon one of the pieces of Captain Olimar's ship, The Dolphin]]). If the Pikmin aren't called back fast enough, the Pearly Clam Clamp will close its mouth over them and eat them, even doing so after they've recovered its pearl. The pearl it guards can produce 50 Pikmin when brought back to one of the Onions.

* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' story "Genesis of the Daleks", Harry Sullivan manages to accidentally step into a giant terrestrial mollusc that [[EvilutionaryBiologist Davros]] created, and get trapped by it. Despite them being somewhat immobile. Referenced decades later in "The Magician's Apprentice", when a Skaro soldier contacts his superiors about "clam mines" deployed near his position.

* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' story "Genesis of the Daleks", Harry Sullivan manages to accidentally step into a giant terrestrial mollusc that [[EvilutionaryBiologist Davros]] created, and get trapped by it. Despite them being somewhat immobile.

* In the very first [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTVSpecials My Little Pony Special]], Applejack and Megan were trapped inside a giant clam shell, and later opened when the Sea Ponies began their song.

->''"Earth, What a planet. On Earth, you enjoy eating a tasty clam. [[RussianReversal On my planet, clam enjoy eating a tasty you!]]"''

->''"Earth, What a planet. On Earth, you enjoy eating a tasty clam. On my planet, clam enjoy eating a tasty you!"''

* In ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'', one of the enemies is the Pearly Clam Clamp, a clam that opens its mouth when the Pikmin attack the pearl it is protecting (or in one case, the Radiation Canopy, [[PlotCoupon one of the pieces of Captain Olimar's ship, The Dolphin]]). If the Pikmin aren't called back fast enough, the Pearly Clam Clamp will close its mouth over them and eat them, even doing so after they've recovered its pearl. The pearl it guards can produce 50 Pikmin when brought back to one of the Onions.

->''"Earth, What a planet. On Earth, you enjoy eating a tasty clam. On my planet, [[RussianReversal clam enjoy eating a tasty you!]]"''

->''"Earth, What a planet. On Earth, you enjoy eating a tasty clam. On my planet, clam enjoy eating a tasty you!"''

->"Earth, What a planet. On Earth, you enjoy eating a tasty clam. On my planet, clam enjoy eating a tasty you!"
—->—-'''Zoidberg''', ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}

How anthropomorphized the clams are tends to vary, too. They may be given features such as eyes on their top shell, or a tongue inside their shells; sometimes their eyes are inside their shells as well. They can also range from mindless and neutral to sentient and evil -- all that matters is that they bite.

Subtrope of ArtisticLicenseMarineBiology. Not to be confused with BearTrap, a steel, somewhat clam-shaped device used to trap bears and other land animals. Often overlaps with PerplexingPearlProduction, if a bivalve snaps at someone who tries to take its pearl. Possibly averted by PalatePropping, although technically bivalves don't have a palate.

** In "Clams", a giant clam eats Mr. Krabs' millionth dollar. In trying to get it back, he gets eaten by it, but fights it and gets back his dollar... at the cost of the lower half of his body ("Nothing important").

Subtrope of ArtisticLicenseBiology. Not to be confused with BearTrap, a steel, somewhat clam-shaped device used to trap bears and other land animals. Often overlaps with PerplexingPearlProduction, if a bivalve snaps at someone who tries to take its pearl. Possibly averted by PalatePropping, although technically bivalves don't have a palate.

* Happened in ''Manga/BlackJack'' when a boy has his foot trapped by a giant clam. The titular character has to save him using a scalpel before the tide rises and the clam closes.

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* In the ''Series/SesameStreet'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkd5dJIVjgM parody]] of'' Advertising/TheManYourManCouldSmellLike'', featuring Grover, the "clam with two tickets to that thing you love" snaps shut on his nose.
[[/folder]]

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' has the [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=108816 Giant Oyster]]. It can clamp onto a tapped creature and keep it tapped (which prevents it from doing much) while also slowly killing it by putting a -1/-1 counter it each turn. It can also release the creature, which removes all -1/-1 counters from it. Presumably, the idea is that the clamped creature slowly drowns, but is able to swim back to the surface for air if released.

* There's two in ''VideoGame/FreshlyPickedTinglesRosyRupeeland'': oysters that give you a valuable pearl in Sunshine Seashore and vitamin plants in Deku Forest that give you forest vitamin, which is both valuable and a good medicine. It's unavoidable for the trap to close, so it's a matter of getting out as soon as possible and keep the damage low.
* The Cove area in ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'' features gigantic oysters as curios. Interacting with them without using a shovel or dog treat has a chance for it to close on a hero's arm and leave them [[DamageOverTime bleeding]] severely.

* A common problem in 1960s television series when the characters end up in the sea; happened at least once in ''Series/Tarzan''.

* In ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'', a Clamperl (an oyster-like Pokémon) bites down on Meowth's tail at one point.