Saltwater bivalve molluscs with rough, often irregular shells. Some are eaten as a delicacy, and pearl oysters are harvested for their pearls.
Quick answers
What is it?Mollusc
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Day & night
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?Yes
Some species are commonly eaten, and seen as a delicacy in places.
At a glance
Found inOceans
HabitatCoast, Open ocean
ColoursGrey, White, Brown
SizeTiny
LegsNone
Covered inShell
Lives incolonies
Lives for20 years
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Marine and brackish waters.
- What it eats
- Plankton filtered from the water over the gills.
Did you know
Can filter up to 190 litres of water a day, and some carry both eggs and sperm.
There is no evidence that oysters have a brain.
Often confused with
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