Natural freshwater pearls occur in mussels for the same reason that saltwater pearls occur in oysters. Foreign material, usually a sharp object or parasite, enters a mussel and cannot be expelled.
Pearls are made by marine oysters and freshwater mussels as a natural defence against an irritant such as a parasite entering their shell or damage to their fragile body. The oyster or mussel slowly ...
The dearth of akoyas has helped open the door for other kinds of pearls, such as Chinese freshwater and South Seas saltwater pearls, with a consequent loss of market share for the long-reigning ...
About 200 years ago pearl mussels were harvested for, as the name suggests, pearls. However, the name can mislead - only about one per cent of them contain this hidden 'treasure' (and most of ...
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From oysters to pearls: Know how the pearls are formed, types and difference between cultural and natural pearlsMost pearls come from oysters, which thrive in both freshwater and saltwater environments ... In response, the mantle secretes layers of nacre, the same material that forms the oyster's shell, around ...
"A previously unknown population of the European pearl mussel, a freshwater mollusk listed ... that feed on biological material on the gills before the maturation phase. This also may be due ...
A new colony of endangered freshwater pearl mussels has been discovered in north Highland. The rare species was uncovered during a watercourse survey being carried out before culvert replacement work.
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