Shell
Common mussel
Mytilus edulis
(VIId) Eastern English Channel
Fishing zone
Wild
Origin
4 cm
Minimum size
Description
The common mussel is a bivalve mollusk characterized by an equivalve shell that is triangular or elongated (pyriform) in shape, with rounded edges. Its outer color is generally purplish-blue, black, or grayish, often with a lustrous sheen. The inside of the shell is pearly, with a dark purple border. It generally measures between 5 and 10 cm, but can reach up to 15 cm under optimal conditions.
Habitat
It is a marine and estuarine species that tolerates wide variations in salinity (euryhaline species). It lives mainly in the intertidal zone (the area affected by tidal fluctuations) and in the shallow subtidal zone (down to a depth of about 60 meters). It is sessile (fixed) and prefers hard substrates such as rocks, jetties, pilings, or stony bottoms. It is often found in dense colonies called "mussel beds"or "mussel banks".
Distribution
In European waters, it is very common in the English Channel, the North Sea, and parts of the Baltic Sea. In the Northeast Atlantic, it can be found from the coasts of Norway and Iceland to southern France and the Atlantic coast of Spain. In the Northwest Atlantic, from the coasts of Greenland and Canada to North Carolina (United States).