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Atlantic mussels
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
This picture is taken at the tip of Crozon Peninsual at a place calles Lost March - a piece of paradise.
Ths mussel colony covered rocks that are part of a perfect beach at low tide.
Thanks to TN member Michal (cedryk) this species is identified as:
The Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis) is an edible bivalve. It is commonly farmed and harvested for food throughout the world. Blue mussels live in intertidal areas attached to rocks and other substrates by strong thread-like structures called byssal threads which are secreted by byssal glands located in the foot.
Shell smooth with a sculpturing of concentric lines but no radiating ribs. They are purple, blue or sometimes brown in color.
Blue Mussels are preyed upon by starfish such as Asterias vulgaris; small mussels are also eaten by the Dogwhelk (Nucella lapillus).
More information from Wikipedia:
External anatomy
The mussel's external shell is composed of two valves that protect it from predators and desiccation. Protruding from a valve is an enlarged structure called the umbo, which indicates the dorsal surface of the mussel.
Like most bivalves, mussels have a large organ referred to as a foot, which is tongue-like in shape with a groove on the ventral surface, which is continuous with the byssus pit. In this pit a viscous secretion is poured out which enters the groove and hardens gradually when it comes into contact with sea water. This forms a byssus thread that it very tough and secures the mussel to its substrate.
Feeding
Mussels are filter feeders that feed on microscopic organisms called plankton. They do so by drawing water in through their incurrent siphon. The water is then brought into the branchial chamber by the actions of the cilia located on the gills for cilliary-mucus feeding. The waste water exits out through the excurrent siphon. The labial palps finally funnel the food into the mouth where digestion can continue.
Mussels are usually found clumping together with one another to anchor themselves in water. Those mussels found in the middle will have less water loss due to water capture by the clump.
Living mussels are a favored source of food for muskrats, otters, raccoons and other mammals.
Reproduction
Mussels reproduce by sexual reproduction. Sperm released by the male directly into the water enters the female via the incurrent siphon. After fertilization, the eggs develop into the larval stage called glochidia. The glochidia grow in the gills of the female where they are constantly flushed with oxygen-rich water. For a time, these glochidia are parasitic on fish, attaching themselves to the fish's fins or gills. They grow and then break free from the host and drop to the bottom of the water. If they land in a place that suits their needs, they will continue their development and begin their independent life.
Mussel glochidia are generally species-specific and will only live if they find the correct host. |
dew77, cedryk has marked this note useful
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