The growth and lifespan of the mussel Crenomytilus grayanus (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) in the Tatar Strait (Sea of Japan) in connection with the conditions of life at the northern border of the species range

Abstract

The study of materials that were collected by trawling and diving in the Tatar Strait (Sea of Japan) in 2010 showed that the commercial bivalve Crenomytilus grayanus is distributed northward along the continental coast of the Khabarovsk region to Mosolov Bay (51°14.308′ N, 140°42.358′ E). Mussel druses and single mussels were found at depths of 3–32 m in bays, along the open sea coast on rocks, boulders, and in other biotopes characteristic of this species. The growth rate of C. grayanus in the Tatar Strait varied depending on the habitat conditions and was markedly lower than in the warmer waters of Peter the Great Bay, where at similar depths this species reaches its legal size 5–8 years earlier. The lifespan of C. grayanus in the Tatar Strait is 126 years, a value comparable with the lifespan of this species in more southern areas.