- DescriptionDespite the similar common name, the thorny oyster molllusc is more closely related to the scallop. Like scallops and file clams, they have a well developed middle mantle that carries sensory tentacles with multiple eyes around the shell edges. Reflecting this rich endowment of sensory receptors, their cerebral and visceral ganglia have become much more concentrated, in the visceral region, and they show distinct optic lobes with nerve trunks to the mantle edges (Morton, 1960).
However, in common with the true oysters, thorny oysters live cemented to shells or other substrates as epifaunal species, rather than living attached by a byssus. Their key shell characteristic is a ball & socket type hinge, rather than the more common toothed hinge of bivalves.
- Classification
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- Class: Bivalvia
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- Subclass: Pteriomorpha
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- Order: Pterioida
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- Suborder: Ostreina
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- Family: Spondylidae
- Single Genus: Spondylus
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Spondylus albibarbatus
Spondylus americanus
Spondylus anacanthus
Spondylus asiaticus
Spondylus asperrimus
Spondylus aurispinae
Spondylus avramsingeri
Spondylus butleri
Spondylus calcifer
Spondylus camurus
Spondylus candidus
Spondylus castus
Spondylus chinensis
Spondylus clarksoni
Spondylus crassisquama
Spondylus croceus
Spondylus cruentus
Spondylus deforgesi
Spondylus depressus
Spondylus eastae
Spondylus echinatus
Spondylus echinus
Spondylus electrum
Spondylus electus
Spondylus erectospinosus
Spondylus erinaceus
Spondylus excavatus
Spondylus exiguus
Spondylus exilis
Spondylus fauroti
Spondylus flabellum
Spondylus foliaceus
Spondylus fragilis
Spondylus gaederopus
Spondylus gilvus
Spondylus gloriosus
Spondylus gravis
Spondylus groschi
Spondylus gussonii
Spondylus hawaiensis
Spondylus heidkeae
Spondylus imperialis
Spondylus jubalensis
Spondylus lamarckii
Spondylus layardi
Spondylus leucacanthus
Spondylus lima
Spondylus linguafelis
Spondylus longitudinalis
Spondylus maestratii
Spondylus microlepos
Spondylus mireilleae
Spondylus morrisoni
Spondylus multimuricatus
Spondylus mus
Spondylus nicobaricus
Spondylus occidens
Spondylus ocellatus
Spondylus orstomi
Spondylus pickeringae
Spondylus prionifer
Spondylus proneri
Spondylus raoulensis
Spondylus reesianus
Spondylus regius
Spondylus rippingalei
Spondylus roseus
Spondylus senegalensis
Spondylus setiger
Spondylus sinensis
Spondylus sparsispinosus
Spondylus spectrum
Spondylus spinosus
Spondylus squamosus
Spondylus tenellus
Spondylus tenuispinosus
Spondylus unicolor
Spondylus vaillanti
Spondylus variegatus
Spondylus varius
Hewan 