Bay mussel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bay mussel |
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| Bay mussel on the beach of the Baltic Sea, Germany | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Mytilus
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| Species: |
trossulus
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The bay mussel, also known as Mytilus trossulus, is a medium-sized mussel that lives in the ocean. It's a type of bivalve, which means it has two shells that hinge together, like a clam. This mussel is part of the Mytilidae family, and yes, you can eat it!
Bay mussels are closely related to other blue mussels, like Mytilus edulis. Together, these mussels live all over the northern parts of the world, from cool to very cold coastal areas. They often cover rocks and other hard surfaces in places where the tide goes in and out, and also in shallow waters near the shore.
Where Bay Mussels Live
Bay mussels are naturally found in the northern Pacific Ocean. In North America, you can find them along the coast from California all the way up to Alaska. In Asia, they live from Hokkaidō and further north. Sometimes, at the southern edges of their home, they mix and breed with another type of mussel called Mytilus galloprovincialis, which humans brought to the Pacific.
In the Atlantic Ocean, M. trossulus lives along the coast of the U.S. state of Maine and further north into Canada. You can also find them in a few spots on the coasts of Northern Europe. In these areas, they often live alongside and breed with Mytilus edulis. The entire Baltic Sea is home to a special group of Mytilus trossulus. These mussels have some genes from M. edulis and even have M. edulis DNA in their mitochondria (the "powerhouses" of their cells).
You can also find bay mussels in the Arctic, specifically in northwest Greenland. They are scattered in the intertidal zone (the area between high and low tide) in this cold region.
