Ostrea Edulis

Kingdom
Animalia -- Animal, animals, animaux

Phylum
Mollusca -- molluscs, mollusks, mollusques, molusco

Class
Bivalvia Linnaeus, 1758 -- bivalve, bivalves, bivalves, clams, mexilhão, ostra, palourdes

Subclass
Pteriomorphia Beurlen, 1944

Order
Ostreoida

Family
Ostreidae Rafinesque, 1815

Genus
Ostrea Linnaeus, 1758

Species Ostrea edulis Linnaeus, 1758 -- edible oyster

The native or flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) is a sessile, filter-feeding, bivalve mollusc. It is associated with highly productive estuarine and shallow coastal water habitats with sediments ranging from mud to gravel. Ostrea edulis is widely distributed around the British Isles, the North Sea, Mediterranean and Black Sea. Along with other oyster species, it is also cultivated in North America, Australasia and Japan The native oyster has been revered for centuries for its taste, and as such has been cultivated for generations. The population has declined rapidly in the 20th and 21st century. As a result aquacultural techniques have become a more popular means of oyster cultivation

Ostrea edulis is an interesting species and its methods of reproduction is fascinating. It is a Protandrous hermaphrodite. This site gives a good basic diagram of the oyster Lifecycle

Pictures Of Native Oyster

Major Countries responsible for distribution