Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (North and Mid-Atlantic). Blue Mussel

摘要

The blue mussel, Mytilus edulis 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 micrometers. The geographical range of the species is limited by lethal water temperatures above 27C 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 20C, whereas those near the southern distributional limit are not severely stressed by temperatures as high as 25C. 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.