California mussel

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California mussel

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Bivalvia
Subclass:	Pteriomorpha
Order:	Filibranchia
Suborder:	Mytilacea
Family:	Mytilidae
Genus:	Mytilus
Species:	M. californianus

Binomial name

Mytilus californianus
K.M. White, 1937

The California mussel (Mytilus californianus) is a saltwater bivalve native to the west coast of North America from northern Mexico to the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. California mussels are found on hard surfaces in intertidal zones on the open coast. California mussels were an important food source for Native Americans living on the Pacific Coast prior to European contact.

1 Ecology
2 Human use
3 References
4 See also

[edit] Ecology

The California mussel prefers the high salinity, low sediment conditions found on open rocky coasts. However, they do not colonize bare rock easily, instead preferring pre-existing mussels and biological filaments. They attach themselves to the hard surfaces using thread-like byssus.

Given the opportunity, California mussels may grow up to 200mm (8 inches) in length and may live for more than 20 years. Mortality in intertidal open coastal environments is often high, resulting from battering from driftwood and other debris, wave pounding, predation, desiccation, and disease. Predators of California mussels include the Pisaster starfish.

[edit] Human use

While edible, California mussels may contain harmful levels of toxins produced by red tides. These toxins cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. Their flesh is often orange colored, and they can be baked, boiled, or fried like other mussels, clams, and oysters.