| Family: |
Pteriidae (pearl oysters) |
| Max. size: |
30 cm SHL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
benthic; marine; depth range 0 - 35 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: from East Africa and the Red Sea to Fiji Islands; north to southern Japan and south to northern Queensland and Western Australia. |
| Diagnosis: |
Shell solid, reaching a very large size, obliquely ovate in outline, with posterior ear drawn out into a narrow, more or less elongated, wing-like expansion; slightly inequivalve, left valve a little more inflated and with a weak rounded fold radiating from umbo to posteroventral end of shell. Outline of shell variable, initially narrowly oblique, later greatly expanding ventrally and almost as high as long, or even higher than long in larger specimens and with the posterior ear relatively short. Interior of shell with a wide non-nacreous margin ventrally. Colour: outside of shell plain dark brown to black. Interior silvery and brilliantly nacreous, with a broad, posteroventrally expanded, glossy black margin. |
| Biology: |
Found in intertidal areas on rocks (Ref. 75831). Sometimes attached to sea whips (Ref. 799). Also found subtidal, on dead coral heads (Ref. 75840). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
|
| Threat to humans: |
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| Country info: |
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Source and more info: www.sealifebase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
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