Mytilidae are a family of small to large marine and brackish-water bivalve molluscs in the order Mytilida . One of the genera, Limnoperna , even inhabits freshwater environments. Mytilidae, which contains some 52 genera, is the only extant family within the order Mytilida .[1]
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Species in the family Mytilidae are found worldwide, but they are more abundant in colder seas, where they often form uninterrupted beds on rocky shores in the intertidal zone and the shallow subtidal. The subfamily Bathymodiolinae is found in deep-sea habitats.
Mytilids include the well-known edible sea mussels.
A common feature of the shells of mussels is an asymmetrical shell which has a thick, adherent periostracum . The animals attach themselves to a solid substrate using a byssus .
A 2020 study of the phylogeny of Mytilidae recovered two main clades derived from an epifaunal ancestor, with subsequent lineages shifting to other lifestyles, and correlating convergent evolution of siphon traits.[2]
A bed of the edible California mussel, Mytilus californianus
Mussels and attached barnacles on the Cornish coast near Newquay
Mytilus (Falcimytilus) jurensis from the Middle Jurassic (Callovian ) Matmor Formation of southern Israel
Genera within the family Mytilidae include:[1]
Adipicola Dautzenberg, 1927
Adula H. Adams & A. Adams , 1857
Amygdalum Megerle von Muhlfeld, 1811
Arcuatula Jousseaume in Lamy, 1919 (incl. Musculista )
Arenifodiens Wilson, 2006
Arvella Bartsch, 1960
Aulacomya Mörch , 1853
Bathymodiolus Kenk & Wilson, 1985
Benthomodiolus Dell, 1987
Botula Mörch, 1853
Brachidontes Swainson , 1840
Choromytilus Soot-Ryen, 1952
Crenella T. Brown, 1827
Crenomytilus Soot-Ryen, 1955
Dacrydium Torell, 1859
Exosiperna Iredale, 1929
Fungiacava T. F. Goreau, N. I. Goreau, Neumann & Yonge, 1968
Geukensia Van de Poel, 1959
Gibbomodiola Sacco, 1898
Gigantidas Cosel & Marshall, 2003
Gregariella Monterosato , 1884
Idas Jeffreys, 1876
Idasola Iredale , 1939
Ischadium Jukes-Browne , 1905
Jolya Bourguignat, 1877
Leiosolenus Carpenter, 1857
Limnoperna Rochebrune , 1882
Lioberus Dall , 1898
Lithophaga Röding , 1798
Megacrenella Habe & Ito, 1965
Modiolatus Jousseaume, 1893
Modiolula Sacco, 1898
Modiolarca Gray, 1842
Modiolus Lamarck , 1799
Musculus Röding , 1798
Mytella Soot-Ryen, 1955
Mytilaster Monterosato , 1884
Mytilus Linnaeus , 1758 ; includes most edible mussel species
Perna Philipsson, 1788 - incl. New Zealand green-lipped mussel
Perumytilus Olsson, 1961
Rhomboidella Monterosato , 1884
Semimytilus Soot-Ryen, 1955
Septifer Recluz, 1848
Sinomytilus Thiele, 1934
Solamen Iredale , 1924
Stavelia Gray, 1858
Tamu Gustafson, Turner, Lutz & Vrijenhoek, 1998
Trichomya Ihering, 1900
Urumella Hayami & Kase, 1993
Vilasina Bartsch, 1960
Vulcanidas Cosel & B. A. Marshall, 2010
Xenostrobus Wilson, 1967
Zelithophaga Finlay, 1926