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Concept
Pacific oyster
Summary
The Pacific oyster, Japanese oyster, or Miyagi oyster (Magallana gigas), is an oyster native to the Pacific coast of Asia. It has become an introduced species in North America, Australia, Europe, and New Zealand.
The genus Magallana is named for the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and its specific epithet gígās is from the Greek for "giant". It was previously placed in the genus Crassostrea; from the Latin crass meaning "thick", ostrea meaning "oyster", and Crassostrea gigas is considered by part of the scientific community to be the proper denomination as an accepted alternative in WoRMS,
The shell of M. gigas varies widely with the environment where it is attached. Its large, rounded, radial folds are often extremely rough and sharp. The two valves of the shell are slightly different in size and shape, the right valve being moderately concave. Shell colour is variable, usually pale white or off-white. Mature specimens can vary from 80 to 400 mm long.
Right and left valve of the same specimen:
File:Crassostrea gigas 02.jpg|Right valve
File:Crassostrea gigas 03.jpg|Left valve
M. gigas is an estuarine species, but can also be found in intertidal and subtidal zones. They prefer to attach to hard or rocky surfaces in shallow or sheltered waters up to 40 m deep, but have been known to attach to muddy or sandy areas when the preferred habitat is scarce. The Pacific oyster can also be found on the shells of other animals. Larvae often settle on the shell of adults, and great masses of oysters can grow together to form oyster reefs. The optimum salinity for Pacific oysters is between 20 and 35 parts per thousand (ppt), and they can tolerate salinities as high as 38 ppt; at this level, however, reproduction is unlikely to occur. The Pacific oyster is also a very temperature tolerant species, as it can withstand a range from −1.8 to 35 °C.
The Pacific oyster has separate sexes, but hermaphrodites sometimes do exist. Their sex can be determined by examining the gonads, and it can change from year to year, normally during the winter.
Official source
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