Crassostrea rhizophorae

Crassostrea rhizophorae Guilding, 1828
Mangrove cupped oyster

photo by FAO

Family:	Ostreidae (oysters)
Max. size:	12 cm NG (male/unsexed)
Environment:	benthic; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m
Distribution:	Atlantic Ocean: from southern Gulf of Mexico to Uruguay. Introduced in UK.
Diagnosis:	Diagnostic features: Shell lightweight, deep-cupped inequivalve, left valve (attached) larger than right. Shell shape and outline variable. Inner margin smooth. Presidium transversally striated. Colour: externally dirty light grey, internally whitish or light grey splotched with bluish purple (Ref. 271).
Biology:	It has a total length of 12 cm. Fisheries: It is heavily exploited due to over exploitation or contaminated by organic pollutants. It is consumed raw, fried, grilled or boiled. Canned industrially (Ref. 271). Attached to roots of Rhizophora mangle, rocks or other oyster shells. It is mostly intertidal or shallow-subtidal species (Ref. 271).
IUCN Red List Status:	Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans:
Country info:

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