The Korean mussel is a large, thick-shelled mussel native to the coasts of Korea, China, Japan, and the Russian Far East. It does not live in the US, though shells have turned up on debris near Vancouver Island, Canada, thought to have drifted across the Pacific after the 2011 tsunami in Japan. It is also called the hard-shelled mussel.
Appearance
- Appearance
- A long, thick, glossy black-brown shell that can reach about 5–6 in (12–15 cm).
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Rocky shores
- Shallow rocky reefs
- Range
- Temperate coasts of Korea, China, Japan, and the Russian Far East, including the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. It is not established in North America.
- Preferred conditions
- Attaches to rock in places with strong water movement. In Japan it lives from the low-tide zone down to about 65 ft (20 m), most commonly at 16–33 ft (5–10 m).
Behavior
- Diet
- Filters tiny food particles out of seawater.
Life cycle
- Reproduction
- Males and females release eggs and sperm into the water, and the larvae drift as plankton before settling.
- Time to maturity
- Becomes mature at about 1.5–2 in (4–5 cm) long.
Name and classification
- About the name
- Some references list this mussel as Mytilus unguiculatus, another scientific name for the same species.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
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