Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index

Pearl Oyster

Pearl Oysters
Scientific classification
Domain:Eukaryota
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Mollusca
Class:Bivalvia
Order:Pterioida
Family:Pteriidae
Genus:Pinctada
Species
Pinctada maxima
Pinctada margaritifera
Pinctada fucata
Pinctada radiata
Pinctada albina
Pinctada virens
Pinctada chemnitzi
Pinctada maculata
Pinctada nigra
Pinctada atropurpurea
Pinctada laosensis
Pinctada martensi

The 'Pearl Oysters\' are the genus Pinctada of bivalve molluscs. They are classified in the family Pteriidae. They are not closely related to the edible oysters of family Ostreidae.

All members of the genus share the physiological properties that lead to the production of large pearls of commercial value, and attempts have been made to harvest pearls commercially from many of the species. However the only species that are currently of significant commercial interest are:

The different species produce different types of pearls. Tahitian pearls come from the Black-lip oyster; South Sea pearls from the White-lip oyster; and Akoya cultured pearls from the Japanese pearl oyster.

Pearls are also obtained in commercial quantities from some species of the related genus Pteria, and also from the freshwater mussel species Hyriopsis schlegeli. Though also a bivalve, this last species is unrelated to the oysters.

External links