Pinctada margaritifera
| Black-lip pearl oyster | |
|---|---|
| Live individual on display in the Aquarium Finisterrae | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Order: | Pteriida |
| Family: | Pteriidae |
| Genus: | Pinctada |
| Species: | P. margaritifera |
| Binomial name | |
| Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
Pinctada margaritifera, commonly known as the black-lip pearl oyster, is a species of pearl oyster, a saltwater mollusk, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Pteriidae. This species is common in the Indo-Pacific within tropical coral reefs.
The ability of P. margaritifera to produce pearls means that the species is a valuable resource to humans. The oysters are harvested wild from coral reefs and are also commonly grown in aquaculture, both primarily taking place in the Indo-Pacific region.