Blue mussel
Encyclopedia
The blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, is a medium-sized edible marine
bivalve mollusc in the family
Mytilidae
. In spite of its specific name edulis, it is not the sole edible Mytilus species.
, Europe
, and in other temperate and polar waters around the world.
s are proteins produced by some algae and marine invertebrates like the blue mussel to serve as bioadhesive
of fine concentric growth lines but no radiating ribs. The shells of this species are purple, blue or sometimes brown in color, occasionally with radial stripes as shown here. ) The outer surface of the shell is covered by the periostracum
which as eroded, exposes the colored prismatic calcitic layer is exposed and also possibly eroded.
Blue Mussels are semi-sessile, have the ability to detach and reattach to a surface allowing the mollusk to reposition itself relative to the water position.
.
The reproductive strategy seen in blue mussels is characteristic of planktotrophs, by minimizing nutrients in egg production to the bare minimum they are able to maximize the number of gametes produced. If the adult mussels are stressed during the beginning of gametogenesis, the process is terminated. When stressed while fresh gametes are present, adult mussels reabsorb gametes. Larvae viability is also effected by the condition of parents: high water temperatures, pollutants and scarcity of food, during gamete production. The reduction in viability is probable to the lack of lipid
reserves distributed to the eggs.
is low. The Mussels attach to one another via collagenous protein strands called byssal threads. The aggregates are observed mostly in Mussel fields, which are short-lived populations of Mussels, usually exhibiting a clumped distribution pattern
. It is hypothesized that the Mussels form these aggregates to increase reproductive success in low density populations. This hypothesis, however, has yet to be conclusively proven. Alternative possible reasons for the behavior include resisting wave action and increasing water flow through the siphons
of the Mussel. The significance of the behavior is its relation to the formation of Mussel beds from Mussel fields. Mussel beds are persistent, dense Mussel populations. Beds generally form from fields that persist long enough to establish a dense population. Thus in areas where Blue Mussels are threatened, such as the Wadden Sea
, it is of great importance to enhance the survival of Mussel fields, of which Mussel aggregates are the primary component.
The first stage of development is the ciliated embryo, which in 24-hours for fertilization form the trochophore
. At this point although mobile, it is still reliant on the yolk for nutrients. Characterized by a functional mouth and alimentary canal the veliger stage also has cilia which are used for filtering food as well as propulsion. A thin translucent shell is secreted by the shell gland forming the notable straight hinge of the prodissoconch I shell. The veliger continues to mature forming the prodissoconch II shell. In the end stage of veliger development photosensitive eye spots and elongated foot with a byssal gland are formed.
Once the pediveliger is fully developed, its foot extends and makes contact with substrate. The initial contact with the substrate is loose, if the suitable the larva will metamorphoses into the juvenile form, plantigrade, and attach byssus threads. The mussel will remain in the state until reaching 1-1.5mm in length. This attachment is the prerequisite for the foundation for the blue mussel population. In sheltered environments large masses sometimes form beds which offer shelter and food for other invertebrates.
Mytilus edulis is commonly harvested for food throughout the world, from both wild and farmed sources. Mussels are a staple of many seafood dishes in various cuisines including Spanish
(especially Galician
), Portuguese
, French
, Dutch
, Belgian
and Italian
. They are also commonly used as lab animals.
and fish larvae through adults. Once the mussel metamorphoses the mussel is still restricted by predation, however only smaller mussels with thinner, weaker shells are victim. Once the shells becomes stronger, blue mussels are preyed upon by sea stars such as Asterias vulgaris
as well as by several species of sea gulls. Small mussels are also eaten by the dog whelk, Nucella lapillus.. The blue mussel is host to a wide range of parasites, but these parasites usually do not cause much damage.
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
bivalve mollusc in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Mytilidae
Mytilidae
Mytilidae is a family of small to large saltwater mussels, marine bivalve mollusks in the order Mytiloida. It is the only family in the order...
. In spite of its specific name edulis, it is not the sole edible Mytilus species.
Distribution
Blue mussels are found on the North Atlantic and North Pacific coast of North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and in other temperate and polar waters around the world.
Habitat
Blue mussels are boreo-temperate invertebrates that live in intertidal areas attached to rocks and other hard substrates by strong (and somewhat elastic) thread-like structures called byssal threads; these are secreted by byssal glands located in the foot of the mussel. Polyphenolic proteinPolyphenolic protein
Polyphenolic proteins are proteins produced by some algae and marine invertebrates like the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis or the polychaete Phragmatopoma californica that are used as bioadhesives. These proteins contain a high level of L-DOPA and cystine....
s are proteins produced by some algae and marine invertebrates like the blue mussel to serve as bioadhesive
Description
The shape of the shell is triangular and elongate with rounded edges. The shell is smooth with a sculpturingSculpture (mollusc)
The sculpture of a mollusc shell is the three-dimensional ornamentation on the outer surface, as distinct from the basic shape of the shell itself or colouration. Sculpture may be concave as well as convex. Sometimes it has microscopic detail. Sculpture refers to the calcareous outer layer, not the...
of fine concentric growth lines but no radiating ribs. The shells of this species are purple, blue or sometimes brown in color, occasionally with radial stripes as shown here. ) The outer surface of the shell is covered by the periostracum
Periostracum
The periostracum is a thin organic coating or "skin" which is the outermost layer of the shell of many shelled animals, including mollusks and brachiopods. Among mollusks it is primarily seen in snails and clams, i.e. in bivalves and gastropods, but it is also found in cephalopods such as the...
which as eroded, exposes the colored prismatic calcitic layer is exposed and also possibly eroded.
Blue Mussels are semi-sessile, have the ability to detach and reattach to a surface allowing the mollusk to reposition itself relative to the water position.
Population
Once the sperm and eggs are fully developed they are released into the water column for fertilization. Although there are about 10,000 sperm per an egg, large proportions of eggs deposited by blue mussel are never fertilized. As few as 1% of larvae that do mature ever reach adulthood, the majority are eaten by predators before completing metamorphosisMetamorphosis
Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation...
.
The reproductive strategy seen in blue mussels is characteristic of planktotrophs, by minimizing nutrients in egg production to the bare minimum they are able to maximize the number of gametes produced. If the adult mussels are stressed during the beginning of gametogenesis, the process is terminated. When stressed while fresh gametes are present, adult mussels reabsorb gametes. Larvae viability is also effected by the condition of parents: high water temperatures, pollutants and scarcity of food, during gamete production. The reduction in viability is probable to the lack of lipid
Lipid
Lipids constitute a broad group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins , monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, phospholipids, and others...
reserves distributed to the eggs.
Aggregation
Blue Mussels occasionally form clumps, or aggregates, of individuals when population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is low. The Mussels attach to one another via collagenous protein strands called byssal threads. The aggregates are observed mostly in Mussel fields, which are short-lived populations of Mussels, usually exhibiting a clumped distribution pattern
Range (biology)
In biology, the range or distribution of a species is the geographical area within which that species can be found. Within that range, dispersion is variation in local density.The term is often qualified:...
. It is hypothesized that the Mussels form these aggregates to increase reproductive success in low density populations. This hypothesis, however, has yet to be conclusively proven. Alternative possible reasons for the behavior include resisting wave action and increasing water flow through the siphons
Mussel
The common name mussel is used for members of several families of clams or bivalvia mollusca, from saltwater and freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other edible clams, which are often more or less rounded or oval.The...
of the Mussel. The significance of the behavior is its relation to the formation of Mussel beds from Mussel fields. Mussel beds are persistent, dense Mussel populations. Beds generally form from fields that persist long enough to establish a dense population. Thus in areas where Blue Mussels are threatened, such as the Wadden Sea
Wadden Sea
The Wadden Sea is an intertidal zone in the southeastern part of the North Sea. It lies between the coast of northwestern continental Europe and the range of Frisian Islands, forming a shallow body of water with tidal flats and wetlands. It is rich in biological diversity...
, it is of great importance to enhance the survival of Mussel fields, of which Mussel aggregates are the primary component.
Development
Larval development can last from 15 to 35 days depending environmental conditions including salinity and temperature, as well as location. Larvea originating from Connecticut mature normally at 15–20 °C, though at 15 °C normal development occurs at salinities between 15 and 35 ppt and 20 at 35 ppt at 20 °C.The first stage of development is the ciliated embryo, which in 24-hours for fertilization form the trochophore
Trochophore
A trochophore is a type of free-swimming planktonic marine larva with several bands of cilia.By moving their cilia rapidly, a water eddy is created. In this way they control the direction of their movement...
. At this point although mobile, it is still reliant on the yolk for nutrients. Characterized by a functional mouth and alimentary canal the veliger stage also has cilia which are used for filtering food as well as propulsion. A thin translucent shell is secreted by the shell gland forming the notable straight hinge of the prodissoconch I shell. The veliger continues to mature forming the prodissoconch II shell. In the end stage of veliger development photosensitive eye spots and elongated foot with a byssal gland are formed.
Once the pediveliger is fully developed, its foot extends and makes contact with substrate. The initial contact with the substrate is loose, if the suitable the larva will metamorphoses into the juvenile form, plantigrade, and attach byssus threads. The mussel will remain in the state until reaching 1-1.5mm in length. This attachment is the prerequisite for the foundation for the blue mussel population. In sheltered environments large masses sometimes form beds which offer shelter and food for other invertebrates.
Uses
Blue mussels are filter feeders and play a vital role in estuaries by removing bacteria and toxins.Mytilus edulis is commonly harvested for food throughout the world, from both wild and farmed sources. Mussels are a staple of many seafood dishes in various cuisines including Spanish
Spanish cuisine
Spanish cuisine consists of a variety of dishes, which stem from differences in geography, culture and climate. It is heavily influenced by seafood available from the waters that surround the country, and reflects the country's deep maritime roots...
(especially Galician
Galician
Galician can refer to:* Something of, from, or related to Galicia * Galician language* Galician people, an ethnic group of Galicia, Spain* Galician wine, wine produced in Galicia, Spain*Galician cuisine- See also :* Galicia...
), Portuguese
Portuguese cuisine
Portuguese cuisine is characterised by rich, filling and full-flavored dishes and is closely related to Mediterranean cuisine. The influence of Portugal's former colonial possessions is also notable, especially in the wide variety of spices used. These spices include piri piri and black pepper, as...
, French
French cuisine
French cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from France that has developed from centuries of social change. In the Middle Ages, Guillaume Tirel , a court chef, authored Le Viandier, one of the earliest recipe collections of Medieval France...
, Dutch
Dutch cuisine
Dutch cuisine is shaped by the practice of fishing and farming, including the cultivation of the soil for raising crops and the raising of domesticated animals, and the history of the Netherlands.-History:...
, Belgian
Belgian cuisine
Belgium has been called a nation of gourmands rather than gourmets: a country, in other words, where "big cuisine" comes before "fine cuisine". It has been said that Belgium serves food of French quality in German quantities.-Frieten or frites:...
and Italian
Italian cuisine
Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BCE. Italian cuisine in itself takes heavy influences, including Etruscan, ancient Greek, ancient Roman, Byzantine, Jewish and Arab cuisines...
. They are also commonly used as lab animals.
Predators
Predation of blue mussels is greatest during the 3 weeks it spends as a planktonic larva. During this stage it is susceptible to jellyfishJellyfish
Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. Medusa is another word for jellyfish, and refers to any free-swimming jellyfish stages in the phylum Cnidaria...
and fish larvae through adults. Once the mussel metamorphoses the mussel is still restricted by predation, however only smaller mussels with thinner, weaker shells are victim. Once the shells becomes stronger, blue mussels are preyed upon by sea stars such as Asterias vulgaris
Asterias
Asterias is a genus of the Asteriidae family of sea stars. It includes several of the best-known species of sea stars, including the common starfish, Asterias rubens, and the northern Pacific seastar, Asterias amurensis.-Species:...
as well as by several species of sea gulls. Small mussels are also eaten by the dog whelk, Nucella lapillus.. The blue mussel is host to a wide range of parasites, but these parasites usually do not cause much damage.