Physical Description: Mytilus trossulus has a shiny blue-black to black or brownish thin, long shell. Its exterior is smooth with fine lines. The interior of the shell is dull blue with a darker edge. They can be up to 6 to 10 cm long, and 3 to 5 cm high. Geographical Range: Arctic to Alaska and south to Central California. (approximate) Habitat: Mussels attach themselves to rocks pilings & other objects in the mid-intertidal zone of shorelines where water is relatively calm. The elevation at which they can be found is limited by the sea stars in the lower intertidal zone and the risk of desiccation in the upper intertidal zone. Feeding: Mussels are filter-feeders. They filter many litres of water by moving a set of cilia (long hair-like filaments) over their gills to produce a current-like movement and another set of cilia move the trapped food particles (plankton) into food grooves.
In the early 2000’s the Pearson College students in the Environmental System classes would do a lab on mussel mariculture References: ( referenced 2005) Biological Bulletin, Vol. 193, No. 2, Oct., 1997 http://www.jstor.org/stable/1542764 http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/biology/rosario/inverts/Mollusca/Bivalvia/Mytiloida/Mytilidae/Mytilus_trossulus.html |
Other Members of the Phylum Mollusca at Race Rocks.
Return to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image File |
The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.
Sara Correia, PC year 31 Amber O’Reilly, NWT PC 37
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