Saddle Tree Oyster

What an animal! It seems plentiful and in places where lots of people can see them. If only they knew...they would probably do what they normally do: exploit the animal to extinction. I believe that this is the Saddle Tree Oyster, a shell common in brackish water near mangroves. It is in the shallows attached to hard substrate. They stand upright and show a disc shape about 10cm in diameter. The species is related to - drumroll - pearl oysters. Like any mangrove species, this might be an animal worth investigating in relation to its protective status.