Latest Bivalves Stories

Pinctada maxima is a species of pearl oyster, a marine bivalve mollusk belonging to the family Pteriidae, the pearl oysters. There are two different color varieties: the White lipped oyster and the Gold lipped oyster. These bivalves are considered to be the largest pearl oysters in the world. They have a very strong inner shell layer composed of nacre, also known as “mother of pearl”. They’re significant in the cultured pearl industry as they are used to produce South Sea pearls....

The Flat Tree Oyster, Isognomon alatus, is a species of bivalve mollusk belonging to the family Isognomonidae. It can be seen along the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from southern Florida to Brazil and Bermuda. This oyster has two thin and irregularly shaped valves that are joined by a long straight hinge. The exterior is sculpted by a large number of rough, concentric rings with loose flakes and varies in color from a pale brownish olive to a purplish black. The nacre on the...

Lopha cristagalli, also known as cockscomb oyster, is a species of marine bivalve mollusks within the family Ostreidae. This species has a shell with the potential to reach a maximum diameter of roughly 20.5 centimeters, 10 centimeters being the most common. The coloration varies from dark to light purple and is thick, strongly ribbed, and slightly inequitable shell. The shell inside is porcelaneous, normally a purplish-brown or whitish. The margins of the valves have a distinctive zig-zag...

The windowpane oyster, Placuna placenta, alternatively known as capiz, is a bivalve marine mollusk belonging to the family Placunidae. Among the species within the genus, only the P. placenta has an outer shell that is sufficiently translucent for commercial use. This mollusk can be found from the shallows of the Gulf of Aden, to around India, then Malaysia to the southern South China Sea, and around the Philippines. Capiz, a province in the Philippines, gets its name from this shell which...

Spondylus varius, a species of large saltwater clam, is a marine bivalve mollusk belonging to the family Spondylidae, the thorny oysters. Spondylus varius reaches a maximum of about 15 to 20 centimeters. It lives at depths of up to 30 meters and, like most bivalves, is a filter feeder, utilizing plankton as a food source. This species can be seen in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, China, Australia, Philippines, Taiwan and Japan. Image Caption: Live specimen of Spondylus varius, in...