Eastern Oyster [Crassostrea virginica]
Description
The Eastern Oyster is native to the eastern seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of North America. It has a smooth, tear-drop shaped shell. The shell's inside is pearly white. They are found in intertidal and subtidal zones, often forming large oyster reefs. They are filter feeders, consuming phytoplankton and improving water quality.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Mollusks
Mollusca
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Clams, Oysters, and Scallops
Bivalvia
|
| Order |
Oysters
Ostreida
|
| Family |
True Oysters
Ostreidae
|
| Genus |
True Oysters
Ostrea
|