Is it safe to eat oysters during the months without R's?
Yes. Fresh oysters properly refrigerated are wholesome and
nutritious throughout the year. They spoil rapidly at high
temperatures, however. The belief that oysters were unsafe to eat in
May through August arose in earlier days when refrigeration was less
prevalent than it is today.
Oysters - Oyster Shucking House, 1934 Appalachicola, FL
How does a scallop move?
It compresses the valves of its shell and forces water backward in jets
near the shellhinge. The force drives the scallop in the direction of
the shell opening. The bivalve appears to be clapping the two sides of
its shell together.
Sea Scallops
Are any snails commercially caught for food off the
coasts of the United States?
The most commonly eaten snails in this country are the abalone,
caught in the waters off California, and various conchs from Atlantic
waters.
What purpose do the holes along the edge of an abalone shell serve?
Internal gills discharge water through the holes, as part of an
abalone's respiratory process.
Are there any poisonous snails?
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Yes. Cone shells (family Conidae) include members with toxic
venom. These mostly tropical forms can be highly toxic, even fatal, to
man. Their poison is injected by a spear-shaped rod called a radula. Visit the
Killer Snail
Homepage
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Conus Striatus
Photograph of Conus Striatus courtesy of the Drug Design and Development
Centre, University of Queensland.
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Bay Scallop photo by Jim Widman NMFS
