Pinctada radiata
| Pinctada radiata | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Order: | Pteriida |
| Family: | Pteriidae |
| Genus: | Pinctada |
| Species: | P. radiata
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| Binomial name | |
| Pinctada radiata (Leach, 1814)
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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Pinctada radiata, commonly known as the Atlantic pearl-oyster[2] or the Gulf pearl oyster[1] is a species of pearl oyster distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific and in the Mediterranean.[3][4] Its range extends as far north as Japan and as far south as the Australian state of Victoria.[5]
Description
[edit]P. radiata is generally between 50 and 65 millimetres (2.0 and 2.6 in) in length, though it can reach 106 millimetres (4.2 in). The shell is thin, compressed, and square-like,[6] with growth rings and ribs on the top surface.[2] Its coloration varies, though it usually displays a brown or red exterior with a pearly interior and a light brown edge.[3] More rarely, the shell may display a green or bronze exterior. Darker brown or red rays may mark the shell, creating darker areas at the margin.[6] The shell's shape and structure also show much variation, hence its many synonyms; it has been described as "very similar to Pinctada margaritifera", and has been misidentified on occasion as P. margaritifera. P. radiata is hermaphroditic, with reproductive maturity being influenced by temperature.[3]
Distribution
[edit]Pinctada radiata occurs throughout the Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean Sea at all depths, though it is generally found between 5 and 25 metres (16 and 82 ft).[6] It attaches itself to various hard substrata, including rocks and wrecks.[2] P. radiata is common throughout its range, possibly because of its adaptation to subtropical environments and ability to survive in polluted water.[3] It was originally distributed only in the Indo-Pacific, but has been introduced into the Mediterranean unintentionally through the Suez Canal and intentionally for aquaculture.[1][5]
Human uses
[edit]Pinctada radiata is harvested for pearls, especially in Qatari waters, where it may constitute up to 95% of the oyster catch.[7] It is also caught for its edible flesh and lustrous shell.[6] P. radiata has also been investigated for possible use as a bioindicator of heavy metals in Persian Gulf waters.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Pinctada radiata" (PDF). Delivering Alien Invasive Species In Europe. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
- ^ a b c "Atlantic pearl-oyster (Pinctada radiata)". Marine Species Identification Portal. ETI BioInformatics. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Pinctada radiata in CIESM Atlas of Exotic crustaceans". Mediterranean Science Commission. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
- ^ Rajaei M.; Farahmand H.; Poorbagher H.; Mortazavi M.S.; Farhadi A. (2015). "Sympatric morphological and genetic differentiation of the pearl oyster Pinctada radiata (Bivalvia: Pterioida) in the northern Persian Gulf". Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 95 (3): 537–543. doi:10.1017/S0025315414001611. S2CID 86574600.
- ^ a b Doğan, Alper; Vedrana Nerlović (2008). "On the occurrence of Pinctada radiata (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Pteriidae), an alien species in Croatian waters". Acta Adriatica. 49 (2): 155–158. ISSN 0001-5113.
- ^ a b c d "Pinctada radiata". SeaLifeBase. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
- ^ Mohammed, Saad Zakaria; Mohamed Hamed Yassien (2003). "Population Parameters of the Pearl Oyster Pinctada radiata (Leach) in Qatari Waters" (PDF). Turkish Journal of Zoology. 27: 339–343. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
- ^ Al-Madfa, H; M. A. R. Abdel-Moati; F. H. Al-Gimaly (1998). "Pinctada radiata (Pearl Oyster): A Bioindicator for Metal Pollution Monitoring in the Qatari Waters" (PDF). Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 60 (2). Springer-Verlag New York: 245–251. doi:10.1007/s001289900617. PMID 9470985. S2CID 35586676. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2010.