Field marks
Wedge-shaped shell with a pointed umbo at the very front; glossy purplish-black
- Size
- Shell length 6–8 cm
- Habitat
- Intertidal to shallow rocky shores, attached by byssus, often in dense beds
- Distribution
- Temperate Northern Hemisphere coasts; common in northern China
- Diet
- Filter feeder
- Counted in
- individuals
- Notes
- Called haihong locally; the species identity of northern Chinese populations is still debated, so molecular ID helps
Habitats
Easily confused with
References
Profile compiled from common references; awaiting expert review.
Same family
Other species in Mytilidae
Korean mussel
Mytilus unguiculatus
Shell length up to 14 cm
Horse mussel
Modiolus modiolus
Large individuals reach 15 cm
Observations