The Breeder’s Registry© Information contained in this report is taken from submitted observations from aquarist unless noted otherwise (see comments). Information may be reproduced providing the Breeder’s Registry is cited.

Breeder ID: CRAVIR-091094-KEMSKI-001

Date received: 9/10/94

Identification: Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin, 1791)

Geographic origin: North-western Atlantic 

Taxonomy: (after I.C.Z.N.)

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Mollusca (Jonstonus, 1650)

Class Bivalvia (Aristotle) [ = Pelecypoda; = Lamellibranchiata ] Subclass Lamellibranchia

Superorder Cryptodonta [ = Filibranchia; = Pteriomorphia] Order Ostreoida

Superfamily Ostreacea Family Ostreidae

Genus Crassostrea (Sacco, 1897)

Species virginica (Gmelin, 1791 )

Description: not available

Broodstock notes: no information provided regrading size of broodstock

Adult diet: cultured phytoplankton

Pre-spawning activity: Temperature acclimation and feeding to condition

Time spawning began: upon temperature increase

Approximate quantity: up to 5,000,000 per spawning

Size: 30 – 50 micron

Egg changes / development: 24 hours to veliger, 7 – 10 days to metamorphosis

Size of hatching trochophore: 30 – 50 microns

Newly hatched appearance:

Transfer / removal method: broodstock moved to separate tank after spawning 

Spawning tank size (liter): 1000

Sides of tank covered? No

Lighting & photo period: not indicated

Filtration: Sandfilter, open system. Turnover twice per day.

Additives and dosages: none indicated

Specific gravity: varies from 1.019 – 1.024

Fry development / changes: 180 – 220 microns at metamorphosis (7 – 10 days)

First food offered: Isochrysis spp. Fed daily

Second food offered: Isochrysis spp. and centric diatoms

Comments: no further information provided

Original description: Described by Gmelin in 1791. Crassostrea floridensis and C. brasiliana are both synonyms.

Vernacular name: American oyster, eastern oyster

Word origin: The classification of Molluscs dates back to Aristotle who divided them into two groupings: Malachia; the cephalopod (from the Greek root malac, -h, -i, -o, meaning soft) and Ostrachodermata, the shelled forms (from the Greek roots ostrac, -o, =um, meaning shelled; and derm, =a, -ato, -o, meaning skin). The name Molusca was created by Jonstonus (or Jonston) in 1650 for cephalopods and barnacles, but was not accepted until Linnaeus revised it (1758 ?). Linnaeus considered all invertebrates (except insects) Vermes (from the Latin word verm, -i, =is, meaning a worm). However, the group Mollusca did not include bivalvae, which were instead placed in the group Testacea (from the Latin word test, -a, meaning a tile or shell).

Curvier in 1795 published a revised classification of Mollusca which approximates modern day yaxonomy. In 1825 De Blainville altered the name Mollusca to Malacoza which was not widely accepted, except for the terms malacology and malacologist.

Barnacles remained in the Phylum until the 1830’s when Thompson and Brumeister identified the larval stages as crusteceans. In 1866 Kowalevsky removed tunicates from the Mollusca. The present day scheme adheres somewhat to those advanced by Milne-Edwars, (1848), based on respiratory organs; and Spengel (1881) based on the nervous system.

The genus Crassostrea is from the Latin words crass meaning thick; and ostrea meaning oyster.The species virginicus is a geographgical reference to the state of Virginia (US).

Suggested reading:

Brusca, R.C. & Brusca, G. J., Invertebrates, 1990, Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA 01375
USA, ISBN 0-87893-098

About this report: Information contained in this report is taken from submitted observations. Taxonomy, Synonomy, Original description , Word origin and Suggested reading are provided by member(s) of The Breeder’s Registry staff. Information is presented under the belief that it is accurate. If you have information in addition to, or contrary to that presented you are encouraged to contact the Breeder’s Registry. Permission is granted for “one-time” personal use. Reproduction as distributed or accessible media is prohibited without prior written permission. All rights reserved. 1994