Info about Shellfish
Types of shellfish
Shellfish is one of the most enjoyed and appreciated kind of seafood. Shellfish can be further divided into two types, namely mollusks and crustaceans. It is not a broadly used classification but this how they are divided when it comes to the allergies due to shell fish ingestion. The major distinguishing factor as the name suggests is the presence (or absence in some cases) of a shell. This shell or rather an external cover is what makes this group be called “shell” fish. Normally the shell is thrown away and not ingested. However, this shell is used for ornate purposes like making a shell necklace or similar decorations. The two types of shellfish and their further classification are discussed.
The first type of shell fish is the mollusk. Most of the mollusks have the external cover or the valve as it called. Depending on the number of valves they can be single valved, bivalve or multi-valved. The commonest kind of bivalve shellfish is the scallop. The kinds of single-valved mollusk are whelks, tower shells and tusk shells. However, the ones that we get in the store are normally de-shelled and thus ready to be cooked and eaten. Also, these mollusks can be further classified into the types that are found in fresh water and the types that are found in the sea. Sea snail is an example of the mollusk that is found in the sea. Fresh water clams and mussels are classic examples of the mollusks that thrive in fresh water. Some species of snails have evolved and dwell on the land. This could probably form the third category called the land mollusks.
The second type of shell fish is the crustacean. As the name suggests, they have an external skeleton, which resembles a shell but is not as hard as a shell. This category forms the huge number of sea foods that are eaten like lobsters, various kinds of crabs, crayfish, prawns and shrimp. Mainly, this type of shell fish are sea lovers and found in the sea, however few crustaceans are also found in fresh water and even some on land. An example of fresh water crustacean would be crayfish while lobsters, crabs and shrimps form the marine types. Crabs could be considered an amphibious type of crustacean shellfish that has evolved to live on both land and water.
Unfortunately, due to the growing human encroachment into forest land and marine life, the number and types of shell fish is going down and as compared to yester years, we are left with very few types of shell fish. Many conservation societies have been started in order to prevent certain rare species from getting extinct. Shell fish form an important part of the food chain and thus irrespective of the kind of shellfish, they need to be protected and preserved. Active intervention to prevent the destruction of the types of shellfish needs to be done in order to protect the various types of shell fish that exist today.