Native oyster  (Ostrea edulis)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Range

Oysters are found widely around the western European coastline as far north as Spitsbergen, and south to Morocco and the Mediterranean. They can turn up all around the British coast with the best areas being the Thames Estuary, the west coast of Scotland, the Solent, the estuary of the River Fal, and Loch Foyle. They are also cultivated in other parts of the world such as North America, Japan and Australasia.

You can view distribution information for this species at the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.

Habitat

Oysters need a firm bedrock or an artificial equivalent along coastlines on which to fasten themselves, in water rich in plankton no deeper than 20 metres.

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