Taxonomy And Distribution
The true pearl oyster belongs to the genus Pinctada (Roding) under the family Pteriidae, order Dysodonta. Members belonging to the Pteriidae family are characterized by a straight hinge with 12 small tooth-like thickening, a cavity below the anterior angle for the byssus, and usually a scaly surface of the outer shell valves. The family includes the pearl oysters belonging to the genus Pinctada and the winged oyster shells of the Pteria genus. In Pteria spp. the shell width is much longer than the height and the hinge angle is prominent and pronounced.
(Listed On Tue May 2 04:12:28 2006)

Listings

Nacres Oysters And Pearls
All shells do not produce pearls, but a considerable number of bivalves (dozens of species of oysters and mussels) can produce pearls of at least a reasonable quality. It is in this way that even the mussels grown to delight some gourmet's palate can produce a minute, dark yellow pearl, just as the large tridacna clams of the tropical seas manage to produce "marbles", albeit without esthetic interest.

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