APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

A-P-H-O-T-O Wildlife Stock Image Library
Pinctada imbricata imbricata Röding, 1798 - Atlantic pearl oyster - a non-native species (Marine bivalves)
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Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- juvenile 1

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- juvenile 2

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- juvenile interior 1

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- on crate / flotsam 1

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- in crevice on crate 1

Above specimen was found in a small crevice in part of a crate at Gwynver, near Sennen, Cornwall. 24.02.16.

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- shell upperside 1

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- shell underside 1

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- exterior of right valve 1

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- exterior of left valve 1

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- interior of left valve 1

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- interior of right valve 1

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- juvenile right valve exterior 1

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- juvenile left valve exterior 1

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- lateral profile 1

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- spines on adult shell 1

Images above of mature and juvenile specimens found by Dr. Paul Gainey who examined the wreck of a large speedboat that had drifted across the Atlantic semi-submerged. The vessel was found in December 1986 at St. Ives. This record has in the past been erronously been attributed to Stella Turk. This species is a non-native species from the south-east coast of the United States of America and Gulf of Mexico.

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- exterior of right valve 2

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- exterior of left valve 2

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- exterior of right valve 3

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- with 0.1mm division rule 1

Atlantic pearl oyster
Pinctada imbricata imbricata
- on black plastic drum lid 1

Images abov of one complete dead shell / spat about 7mm in length was found between the seal and rim of a black plastic drum lid. The object was found in a pile of plastic refuse that was collected from the strandline by beach cleaners at Par Beach, Par, near St. Austell, Cornwall. 20.12.15.

The item of flotsam here also had 17 Bicolor purse oyster, Isognomon bicolor inside its rim.

The small spat oyster above was kindly confirmed by Peggy Williams of Shelltrips.com

Pinctada imbricata Atlantic pearl oyster Marine Bivalve Images
The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help
people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.