When we look at an opened oyster lying in its shell, it’s hard to believe that this is a creature capable of performing many complicated functions. Let’s examine the oyster and see how it manages to get along in life.

There are more than 100 species of living oysters, and their shape, size, and shell vary with their environment. The body of the American oyster rests on the left, cuplike side of the shell; the right, or upper side, is usually flat. The narrow part of the shell is the front end of the oyster; the broad and rounded part is the back.