Akoya Pearl Oysterアコヤガイ

Pinctada fucataLC— Least Concern

The Akoya pearl oyster is the small bivalve at the heart of Japan's cultured pearl industry, prized for coating any implanted nucleus in lustrous nacre — and notable among mollusks for being the first to have its full genome sequenced, in 2012.

Akoya Pearl Oyster (reference photo)
Photo: Miyuki Meinaka / Public domain / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification
Pterioida / Pteriidae Source
Distribution
Widely distributed across tropical to subtropical waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans; in Japan found south of the Bōsō Peninsula, attaching itself with byssal threads to rocky reefs from the low-tide line to about 3 m depth. Source

Did You Know?

  • Its ability to coat any foreign object introduced into its shell with nacre is exploited for pearl farming, notably in Japan's Uwa Sea (Ehime), Ōmura Bay (Nagasaki), and Ago Bay (Mie). Source
  • It is a hermaphrodite capable of changing sex, and in 2012 it became the first mollusk to have its complete genome sequenced. Source

Where to See This Species

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Verified individual animals and facilities will be added as official information becomes available.

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

Pinctada fucataはIUCNでLC。

Habitat

温暖な海の沿岸域。

Threats

  • 沿岸汚染
  • 海水温などの環境変化
  • 病気

Conservation & Breeding Efforts

  • 水質保全
  • 養殖技術の継承

Sources

en.wikipedia.org

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FAQ

Why is the Akoya pearl oyster important to the pearl industry?
When a foreign object is introduced into its shell, it coats the object with layers of nacre, forming a pearl — a property exploited in Japan's cultured pearl farms in areas like Ago Bay and the Uwa Sea. Source
How does the Akoya pearl oyster feed?
It is a filter feeder, drawing in seawater and straining out plankton and organic particles for food. Source
What was scientifically significant about the Akoya pearl oyster in 2012?
It became the first mollusk species to have its complete genome sequenced. Source

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org