Ecology of pearl oyster beds

Abstract

The importance of pearl fisheries in the Gulf of Mannar and the unpredictability of annual fishery due to the disappearance of oysters from bsds or failure in oyster spat settlement over the banks have stimulated pearl oyster experts in the past to devote considerable attention to find out the probable causes. Kelaart (1859), Herdman (1903-1906) and HorneU (1905, 1913, 1916 and 1922) have contributed much to our knowledge about internal or external relationships of the pearl oyster with one kind of animal or other in the same habitat, besides some valuable information on the anatomy, reproductive biology and growth of oysters in the beds.