Notes onMytilus galloprovincialisLamarck in Great Britain

Abstract

Mytilus galloprovincialisLmk. 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 ofM. galloprovincialisfrom Cornwall are summarized, in comparison withM. edulisL.M. galloprovincialisis apparently intolerant of estuarine conditions, but otherwise appears to be ecologically similar toM. edulis.M. galloprovincialisis not resistant to infection byMytilicola intestinalis, but appears to be less affected by the parasite than isMytilus edulis.The synonymy of the species is briefly discussed and it is concluded that, although earlier workers tended to confuseM. ungulatusL. (recorded also asM. ungulataandM. angulata) withM. galloprovincialisLmk., the two types are distinct.M. ungulatusis a name of doubtful validity applied by Linnaeus to a distorted form ofM. edulis.