shellfish , any aquatic invertebrate animal having a shell and belonging to the phylum Mollusca, the class Crustacea (phylum Arthropoda), or the phylum Echinodermata. The term is often used for the edible species of the groups, especially those that are fished or raised commercially. Bivalve mollusks, including oysters, mussels, scallops, and clams, rank among the most commercially important shellfish throughout the world. Certain gastropod mollusks, such as abalone, whelk, and conch, are ... Shellfish Raw oysters opened and presented on a plate A shrimp cocktail Shellfish , in colloquial and fisheries usage, are exoskeleton -bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some are found in ... Basic Shellfish Features Vivekanand Bharti Fishery Resources Assessment Division The shellfish includes two highly diversified phyla i.e. phylum Arthropoda and phylum Mollusca. These two groups are named as shellfishes because of the presence of exoskeleton made of chitin in arthropods Best-in-class lab materials, technologies & services to help you complete your research. Expertise on every level to craft science & technology solutions in life science.