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 large edible saltwater mussel or marine bivalve mollusk in the family Mytilidae.

This species is native to the west coast of North America, occurring from northern Mexico to the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. California mussels are found clustered together, often in very large aggregations, on rocks in the upper intertidal zone on the open coast where they are exposed to the strong action of the surf.

Contents 1 Shell description 2 Ecology 3 Human use 4 References 5 See also

[edit] Shell description

The shell of this species is thick and is often 80 to 130 mm in length, sometimes larger still. The shell is blue on the outside with a heavy brown periostracum which is usually worn off except near the growing edge of the shell. The beaks of the shell are often eroded. The shell has coarse radial ribbing and irregular growth lines on the outer surface. The inner surface of the shell is blue and faintly pearly.

[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 the shelter of pre-existing mussels and their biological filaments. Mussels attach themselves to the hard surfaces using their thread-like byssus.

Given the right circumstances, California mussels can grow up to 200 mm (8 inches) in length and may live for more than 20 years. However, 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

California mussels were an important food source for the Native Americans who lived on the Pacific Coast prior to European contact.

The flesh of the California mussel tends to be orange in color. They can be baked, boiled, or fried like other mussels, clams, and oysters.

While they are edible, care needs to be taken, because during times of red tide in any given locality, California mussels may contain harmful levels of the toxins which can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning.

[edit] References

• Schmidt, D., A Review of California Mussel (Mytilus californianus) Fisheries Biology and Fisheries Programs, Canadian Stock Assessment Secretariat Research Document 99/187 (PDF)
• James McLean, 1969. Marine shells of Southern California Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History

[edit] See also

• blue mussel (Mytilus edulis)