Notes on Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck in Great Britain

Abstract

Mytilus galloprovincialis Lmk. is recorded as dominating the mussel population on the north coast of Devon and the north and south-west coasts of Cornwall from Instow to the Lizard. It was also found less frequently on the coast of South Wales from Angle to Cardiff and on the south coast of Cornwall from the Lizard to Plymouth.The chief distinguishing features of M. galloprovincialis from Cornwall are summarized, in comparison with M. edulis L.M. galloprovincialis is apparently intolerant of estuarine conditions, but otherwise appears to be ecologically similar to M. edulis.M. galloprovincialis is not resistant to infection by Mytilicola intestinalis, but appears to be less affected by the parasite than is Mytilus edulis.The synonymy of the species is briefly discussed and it is concluded that, although earlier workers tended to confuse M. ungulatus L. (recorded also as M. ungulata and M. angulata) with M. galloprovincialis Lmk., the two types are distinct. M. ungulatus is a name of doubtful validity applied by Linnaeus to a distorted form of M. edulis.