#18 Mussel

#18 Mussel

Common name: Mussels

Description

- Mussels are typically circular and are about 7-10 cm in length

- They are commonly black

- Mussels are invertebrates and do not have a backbone but from an exoskeleton by growing a shell to protect their soft bodies

- They are normally thick valved or equal valved 

- Their mantle margins are extensively fused, often developed into long siphons

- Most are active burrowers and have a large foot.

- They make up more than 30 percent of all bivalves

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Bivalvia

Order: Veneroida

Ecology

- The relationship between mussels and barnacles is mutualism. It is mutualism because when barnacles attach themselves to mussels they benefit by: reducing their competition and the delivery of food carried by micro currents when they are near the mussels siphons.

- The mussels benefit because the barnacles act as a form of camouflage and offer increased protection from predators and also from heat stress.

- The difference between wild and cultured mussels can be seen by the somewhat dull colour, white erosion and attached barnacles. 

- Cultured mussels have a shiny blue/black colour