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Saccostrea scyphophilla (Péron &
Lesueur, 1807) Milky Oyster
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Description: Solid, heavy, always
adherent to substrate. Shape: Ovate to elongate, often much longer
than wide, often distorted. Triangular in cross section, left
(lower) valve adherent with an erect part at right angles to adhered
part. Right valve curved. Hinge moderately long. Interior white,
margins purple-black, with chomata on upper valve. Exterior with
radial ribs, usually worn away and only visible at margin, foliated
when not worn. Shell colour purple-black.
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Size: Up to 100 mm in length.
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Distribution: Indo-West Pacific. In
Australia, from south-western WA, around northern Australia, to
Sydney, NSW. Present at Long Reef, Collaroy, and also one outlier
record from Warden Head, Ulladulla, southern NSW, in the Australian
Museum collection.
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Habitat: On rock or coral surfaces
intertidally.
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Comparison: This species is uncommon in
NSW, found in exposed habitats among beds of S. glomerata. It
is identified by having the lower valve cemented to the substrate
with its edge raised at right angles to form a fluted commissure
with the upper valve.
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Synonymy: Synonyms include Ostrea
amasa Iredale, 1939 and Ostrea mordax Saville-Kent, 1891.
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Remarks: In NSW this species is always
more uncommon than Saccostrea glomerata where they occur
together.
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Fig. 1: Woody Head, near Iluka, NSW.
(C.120319)
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