Alan Davidson

Portuguese Oyster

Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg) (= C. angulata)

Appears in
top 1000North Atlantic Seafood
North Atlantic Seafood

By Alan Davidson

Published 1980

  • About

Family Ostreidae

  • Portuguese: Ostra (portuguesa)
  • Spanish: Ostra (portuguesa)
  • French: Portugaise

REMARKS Maximum length about 25 cm, market length usually about 10 cm.

It has recently been declared that the species for long recognized under the names Crassostrea angulata and ‘Portuguese oyster’ is in fact identical with Crassostrea gigas, the oriental oyster, hitherto treated as a separate and larger species. As C. gigas was named earlier than C. angulata, its name prevails. However, most books still reflect what had been standard practice until recently.