Portuguese cupped oyster

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About Portuguese Cupped Oyster
Portuguese cupped oyster, scientifically known as Crassostrea angulata, are members of the Ostraidae family usually found in the northern Mediterranean coasts. Portuguese cupped oyster is very resembling to pacific gigas oyster. Portuguese cupped oyster is one of the largest specie of oysters, approximately thirty centimeters long. The shell has an irregular shape with fluted exterior edges. The valves differ in size: the lower valve is larger than the top valve. Portuguese cupped oyster has a grey or white color with purple or black new growth. Portuguese cupped oysters live up to twenty years, but when they are about two or four years they are collected. This specie of oysters can be found all over pacific coasts in intertidal zones to depths of six meters. Portuguese cupped oyster are found in the tidal areas are usually small and slow-growing, although those in deeper waters are larger and they grow faster. Shell weight differ according to the water depth: Portuguese cupped oysters from the southern coast are lighter than those from the eastern coast. The dimensions and features of the Portuguese cupped oysters significantly depend on the conditions of the culture ground.