Bioscience Methods 2025, Vol.16, No.4, 183-192 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/bm 190 environmental changes and their appearance often changes, which made it difficult to tell which one is which. Fortunately, fossils have also added a few key points, especially some early shell shapes and attachment methods, which can reveal a lot of clues-their evolution is obviously the result of the combined effects of both the environment and genes. Putting these data together gives us the opportunity to piece together the evolutionary map of oysters. When did it diversify, how did it spread, and who its ancestors were? These questions were originally difficult to answer, but now we have a clue. Moreover, more importantly, it allows us to deal with some "stuck" places, such as how to distinguish between similar morphologies, and which reproduction method appeared first and which characteristics came later. Another point to remember is that fossils are not only to see "what they looked like in the past", they are also a key tool for adjusting the "molecular clock". With these references, we can match the rhythm of genetic variation with the timeline and construct a more convincing evolutionary time frame. To gain a deeper understanding of the evolution and adaptability of oysters, we still have to rely on the cooperation of multiple disciplines such as genomics, paleontology and ecology. Future research should collect more genetic data of oysters, improve the classification methods of fossils, and further study how environmental changes affect the evolution of oysters. Such comprehensive research can not only help us figure out the history of oysters, but also provide scientific references and management suggestions for the protection of these ecologically and economically important shellfish. Acknowledgments We are grateful to Mrs. Xu for critically reading the manuscript and providing valuable feedback that improved the clarity of the text. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The authors affirm that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. References Anzai F., Diniz D., Spotorno P., and Dentzien-Dias P., 2024, Fossil oysters from the southernmost coast of Brazil: bioerosion and palaeoenvironmental implications, The Holocene, 34(9): 1321-1328. https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836241254490 Bougeois L., Rafélis M., Reichart G., Nooijer L., and Dupont‐Nivet G., 2016, Mg/Ca in fossil oyster shells as palaeotemperature proxy, an example from the Palaeogene of Central Asia, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 441: 611-626. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PALAEO.2015.09.052 Cunha R., Blanc F., Bonhomme F., and Arnaud-Haond S., 2011, Evolutionary patterns in pearl oysters of the genus Pinctada (Bivalvia: Pteriidae), Marine Biotechnology, 13(2): 181-192. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-010-9278-y Foighil D., and Taylor D., 2000, Evolution of parental care and ovulation behavior in oysters, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 15(2): 301-313. https://doi.org/10.1006/MPEV.1999.0755 Gundappa M., Peñaloza C., Regan T., Boutet I., Tanguy A., Houston R., Bean T., and Macqueen D., 2022, Chromosome‐level reference genome for European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis L.), Evolutionary Applications, 15(11): 1713-1729. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13460 Guo X., Li C., Wang H., and Xu Z., 2018, Diversity and evolution of living oysters, Journal of Shellfish Research, 37(4): 755-771. https://doi.org/10.2983/035.037.0407 Hautmann M., 2006, Shell morphology and phylogenetic origin of oysters, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 240(3-4): 668-671. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PALAEO.2006.03.006 Hautmann M., Ware D., and Bucher H., 2017, Geologically oldest oysters were epizoans on Early Triassic ammonoids, Journal of Molluscan Studies, 83(3): 253-260. https://doi.org/10.1093/mollus/eyx018 Hook S., Cobban W., Ranch T., Vegas L., Fe S., Canyon B., and Canyon W., 2012, Evolution of the Late Cretaceous oyster genus Cameleolopha Vyalov 1936 in central New Mexico, New Mexico Geology, 34(3): 76-95. https://doi.org/10.58799/nmg-v34n3.76 Jin L.F., 2024, Exploring the antarctic circumpolar current: a five-million-year climate journey synchronized with earth's orbital symphony, International Journal of Marine Science, 14(1): 51-56. https://doi.org/10.5376/ijms.2024.14.0007
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==