Mytilopsis sallei (Recluz, 1849)

The black-striped mussel, scientific name Mytilopsis sallei, is a small marine bivalve mollusc in the family Dreissenidae, the false mussels.

It is closely related and ecologically similar to the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha.

Distribution [edit]

The native range for this species is Central and South America.

Like the zebra mussel, the black-striped mussel is a significant pest in many countries outside its original range.

Habitat [edit]

Mytilopsis is typically found in brackish water, unlike Dreissena, which inhabits fresh water. Mytilopsis can tolerate wide fluctuations in salinity as adults. It is a native species of South America Panama Canal (Hertlein and Hanna, 1949), which was spread to many places around the world through Ballast water especially Southernasia, Australia and some parts of Europe are the more thrust areas under the effect of Mytilopsis sallei which is a biodeteriorating agent and prevalent biofouler. This is an alien species to Asia and Australia continents and more effective because there is not a natural controlling organisms and highly adoptable to the environment. First occurrence to Indian subcontinent in 1960 at Visakhapatnam harbor first recorded (Ganapathi, Lakshmana rao & Vargheese, 1971.), And later (Kalyana Sundaram, 1975) observed In Taiwan (CSIRO (CRIMP),Marine Pest Information sheet 1977), in Japan (CSIRO (CRIMP),Marine Pest Information sheet 1974) . In Kainada first identified (Balaji, 1984). In Japan first identified in 1980 (Habe, 1980, Otoni 2002 & kimura and hori, 2004) In Australia first observed at Darwin (Willan et al., 2000), in Thailand first found in 2001, (Swenn et al., 2001), in Singapore 2006 ( K.S.Tan and Morton, 2006, Global Invasive species Database), and finally observed at Israel 2009 ( B.S.Gali and Cesare bogi, 2009).

Nomenclature [edit]

Significant doubt exists regarding the specific name sallei for this mussel. It is more likely to be Mytilopsis adamsi Morrison, 1946 as reported by Marelli & Gray, 1985.

References [edit]

• Black-striped mussel - Mytilopsis sallei

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