BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Mytilus edulis
All Taxonomy Biology Distribution Reproduction

Researched by	Lizzie Tyler	Data supplied by	University of Sheffield
Refereed by	This information is not refereed.
Taxonomy
Scientific name	Mytilus edulis	Common name	Common mussel
MCS Code	W1695	Recent Synonyms	None

Phylum	Mollusca	Subphylum
Superclass		Class	Pelecypoda
Subclass		Order	Mytiloida
Suborder		Family	Mytilidae
Genus	Mytilus	Species	edulis
Subspecies

Additional Information	Mytilus edulis and Mytilus galloprovincialis often occur in the same location in the northern range of Mytilus galloprovincialis. As they both show great variation in shell shape due to environmental conditions (Seed, 1968, 1992), they are often difficult to distinguish. In addition, they may hybridize. However, in Mytilus galloprovincialis: the umbones turn down, giving the basal line of the shell a concave appearance; the valves are higher and less angular; the mantle edges are darker, becoming blue or purple, and Mytilus galloprovincialis tends to grow larger (Tebble, 1976). Note no single morphological characteristic can be used to separate Mytilus species (Gosling, 1992c; Seed, 1992, 1995). Recent evidence suggests that there are only three lineages of the genus, Mytilus edulis, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Mytilus trossulus, although some authorities suggest that all of the smooth shelled mussels belong to the same species (for discussion see Seed, 1992).
Taxonomy References	Fish & Fish, 1996, Hayward & Ryland, 1990, Hayward et al., 1996, Tebble, 1976, Gosling, 1992(c), Bayne, 1976b, Clay, 1967(d), Gosling, 1992(a), Seed, 1992, Seed, 1995, Seed, 1968,