![]() ![]() Since oysters spawn in warmer water, they release eggs and sperm into a water column at about 68 degrees (20 degrees C). Mature oysters produce millions of eggs, but only a few larvae survive. Scientists can tell how old an oyster is by counting these rings. The shell forms from its hinges outward, ring after ring in layers, and then hardens. This sets off special glands that create a liquid substance that turn the minerals into shell. The minerals flow through the mollusk’s bloodstream to its mantle (a thin membrane or layer of tissue) that covers the animal inside. Oysters also draw minerals from the water mostly in the form of calcium carbonate, a substance found in many rocks. That’s equal to 60 two-liter soda bottles a day, just for one small oyster. An adult oyster can filter up to 5 liters or 1.3 gallons on water an hour. ![]() The filtered water then flows out of the oyster through the other hole or siphon. There they are eaten and digested and the expelled particles swirl through the water and resemble a smoke ring.Īlso, parts of the digested product are feces or pseudofeces, which are suspended solids that are bundle, and then used by other organisms on the oyster reef for food. Thousands of tiny creatures, some too small for the naked eye, and others such as plankton, are trapped in the mucus of the oyster gills and taken to the mouth. They suck or draw water in through one of two siphons situated over its gills, by beating hair-like cilia (pronounced SIHL-ee-uh). Oysters are referred to as filter-feeders. A dissolved oxygen level that is too high or too low can harm aquatic life and affect water quality. The amount of oxygen in the water is integral to the survival of organisms. They can handle variations in temperature as well as areas with sediment in which the water is suspended with debris, with a high salt or salinity level and dissolved oxygen. Oysters are hearty creatures, often living in salty lagoons. They affect plankton and algae, but also take particulate nitrogen out of the water drawing it down into the sediment, so the oysters make water safer not just for plants but also people. They constantly feed on very tiny organisms, which are filtered out of the water by their gills. If frightened, they use strong adductor muscles to force themselves shut tight. Often in that environment, their shells are slightly open when they are resting or eating. Oysters cling to rocks or are wedged into the sand to wait for food to come by. Bivalve mollusks like oysters have two valves or parts, and the two shells are connected by a hinge, which looks like a small row of teeth. Gastropods have a shell made of only one valve and it is usually coiled. There are two groups of mollusks, gastropods and bivalves. The soft-bodied animal inside is called a mollusk. You may find them on the beach or on rocks. Oysters are considered shellfish because they create beautiful hard shells that covers their bodies. Estuaries harbor unique plant and animal communities because their waters are brackish: a mixture of fresh water draining from the land and that combines with salty seawater. Estuaries are areas where rivers meet the sea. They have even been introduced to Hawaii, west coast America and other spots around the world. Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico in many bay areas and estuaries. The oyster is found in North America from the Gulf of the St. ![]()
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