Mytella strigata
Mytella strigata (Charru mussel)
Mytella strigata, commonly called the charru mussel or charrua mussel, is a small bivalve in the mussel family. It was first described in 1843 from a specimen in the Philippines and has had many different scientific names over the years.
Description
- Size: adults are less than 2.5 cm long.
- Color: brown to black.
- It attaches to surfaces with byssal threads (rope-like fibers).
Where it lives
- Native range: warm coastal waters of the Americas, especially along the Atlantic coast from Venezuela to Argentina and along parts of the Pacific coast from Mexico to El Salvador. It is also reported from Panama, Brazil, and the Galapagos.
- Invasive range: has spread to the southeastern United States (Florida and Georgia), the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and India.
Habitat and biology
- Habitat: rocky substrates in estuaries, living on the surface (epifaunal).
- Diet: phytoplankton and other small nutrients in water.
- Byssal threads: use these collagen fibers to anchor themselves to rocks and other surfaces.
- Shell: made of calcium carbonate, opened and closed by two adductor muscles.
Temperature and salinity tolerance
- Best at about 20–23°C (survival around 83–88%).
- Can survive from roughly 13°C to 36°C; survival decreases at higher temperatures and is very low above 36°C.
- Tolerates salinities from 2 to 22.5 parts per thousand and can withstand changes in salinity.
Life cycle
- Spawning occurs from July to October.
- Eggs develop into free-swimming larvae, then into a veliger stage that looks like a tiny clam.
- In some conditions, the species may experience changes in sexual development; fertilization has not been directly observed.
Ecology and impact
- This mussel is a tropical to subtropical species that can colonize rocky estuary areas.
- It disperses easily and can form dense populations.
- Its ability to invade warm waters has made it an important non-native species in several regions.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 15:03 (CET).