Species profiles: Life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (North and Mid-Atlantic): Blue mussel
The blue mussel, Mytilus edulis L. is a widely distributed and locally abundant bivalve mollusc in the North and Mid-Atlantic Regions. It is a valuable commercial species; regional landings in 1986 were worth nearly $4 million. It is a semi-sessile species, anchored by byssus threads to firm surfaces in littoral and sub-littoral environments at salinities ranging from 5 to 35 ppt. It is a suspension feeder, ingesting phytoplankton and detrital particles in the size range of 3--30 /mu/m. The geographical range of the species is limited by lethal water temperatures above 27/degree/C in the south and by temperatures too low for growth and reproduction in the north. Animals from the northern end of the range are stressed by temperatures above 20/degree/C, whereas those near the southern distributional limit are not severely stressed by temperatures as high as 25/degree/C. The blue mussel is diecious and oviparous. The planktotrophic larvae take about 3 weeks to develop and metamorphose. The environmental tolerances of larvae are more restricted than those of adults. The juveniles grow to approximately 1.5 mm while attached to filamentous algae before being carried by water currents to reattach to a firm substrate, often close to adult mussels. Larval and adult blue mussels are important prey items for many animals, including crabs, fishes, and birds. 95 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS (USA); National Wetlands Research Center, Slidell, LA (USA); Maryland Univ., Cambridge, MD (USA). Horn Point Environmental Labs.
- OSTI ID:
- 5823203
- Report Number(s):
- TR-EL-82-4/82(11.102); BR-82(11.102); ON: TI89016535
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
MUSSELS
BASELINE ECOLOGY
POPULATION DYNAMICS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
ANIMAL GROWTH
COASTAL WATERS
ESTUARIES
FEEDING
FISHERIES
HABITAT
LIFE CYCLE
MIGRATION
PREDATOR-PREY INTERACTIONS
REPRODUCTION
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ECOLOGY
GROWTH
INVERTEBRATES
MOLLUSCS
SURFACE WATERS
VARIATIONS
520100* - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (-1989)