Oyster

Oyster Temporal range: 252–0 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Pacific oyster from the Marennes-Oléron basin in France
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Bivalvia
Subclass:	Pteriomorphia
Groups included
Anomiidae – saddle oysters Dimyidae – dimyarian oysters Ostreidae – true oysters Placunidae – windowpane oysters Pteriidae – feather oysters Spondylidae – spiny oysters
Cladistically included but traditionally excluded taxa
All other members of: Anomioidea Ostreida Ostreoidea Pectinoidea Pterioidea

Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not all oysters, are in the superfamily Ostreoidea.

Some species of oyster are commonly consumed and are regarded as a delicacy in some localities. Some types of pearl oysters are harvested for the pearl produced within the mantle. Others, such as the translucent Windowpane oysters, are harvested for their shells.