What Type Of Oysters Make Pearls

Most pearls are produced by oysters in both freshwater and saltwater environments.

What type of oysters make pearls. There are animals known as pearl oysters which includes species in the genus pinctada the species pinctada maxima called the gold lipped pearl oyster or silver lipped pearl oyster lives in the indian ocean and the pacific from japan to australia and produce pearls known as. Oysters make pearls as a defensive response to foreign objects. Raw bars present patrons with lists of dozens of oysters to choose from. A person used to be able to simply order a dozen oysters.

A pearl is a small hard object that is roundish in shape and forms within the shell of mollusks like oysters and clams. Any mollusk can form a pearl although they are more common in some animals than in others. The original japanese cultured pearls known as akoya pearls are produced by a species of small pearl oyster pinctada fucata martensii which is no bigger than 6 to 8 cm 2 4 to 3 1 in in size hence akoya pearls larger than 10 mm in diameter are extremely rare and highly priced. In some species the valves are highly calcified and many are somewhat irregular in shape.

The process begins when some foreign body such as sand a parasite or some other organic material manages to make its way inside the oyster s shell and comes in contact with the mantle a layer that protects the oyster s internal organs sometimes even damaging it. Some types of oysters are commonly consumed cooked or raw and in some locales are regarded as a delicacy. Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. Even if you ve just started researching about pearls and pearl jewelry you likely know that they can come in a large variety of colors.

Today a hybrid mollusk is used in both japan and china in the. Pearls are the result of a biological process the oyster s way of protecting itself from foreign substances. Clams and mussels can also produce pearls but that is a much rarer occurrence. Subscribe for new videos every day.

While white pearls are the most traditional and popular type they can also be black grey pink cream peach green blue purple and more. A natural pearl begins its life inside an oyster s shell when an intruder such as a grain of sand or bit of floating food slips in between one of the two shells of the oyster a type of mollusk. Which mollusks make pearls. Even though pearls are formed in a variety of mollusks their formation in oysters is relatively common and therefore they are readily associated with oysters.

How do oysters make colored pearls.