ABSTRACT
Crassostrea rhizophorae is in the family Ostreidae. W. H. Dall and C. T. Simpson classified the common oyster of Puerto Rico as C. virginica; however, Mattox in a later paper considered it to be C. rhizophorae. The mangrove oyster is only commonly found in the narrow intertidal zone attached to the aerial roots of the red mangrove. The mangrove oyster is a protandric hermaphrodite, predominantly male when small and female when large. In older oysters the bisexual phase is seen in about 3% of the population. Release of both sperm and eggs at the same time does not occur; the gametes do not reach maturity at the same time. Mangrove oyster populations reproduce continuously throughout the year, but there may be peaks in seasonal spawning associated with temperature and salinity. The oysters are collected by hand picking in coastal mangrove swamps. The oysters are placed in seawater until they are sold in local tourist places, where they are consumed fresh.
