Assessment of seasonal variability of cytochemical responses to contaminant exposure in the blue mussel Mytilus edulis (complex).

Predator-induced defenses differ between sympatric Mytilus edulis and M. trossulus

This is the first study to compare defenses to predation in closely related species of Mytilus and draws attention to the role of predation in determining their distribution, abundance and co-existence. We experimentally determined whether 2 blue mussel species, Mytilus edulis and M. trossulus, that co-exist within a hybrid zone in Newfoundland, Canada, differ in their predator-induced response...

Effects of wave exposure, temperature and epibiont fouling on byssal thread production and growth in the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, in the Gulf of Maine

Seasonal influence of wave action on thread production in Mytilus edulis.

The blue mussel Mytilus edulis maintains a strong attachment to the substrate in high energy environments by producing byssal threads. On the shores of Rhode Island, USA, mussel attachment strength increases twofold in spring compared to that in the fall. While many factors could influence attachment strength (temperature, food supply, predator cues, etc.), it has been proposed that the variati...

The effect of high-pressure spraying for tunicate control on byssal thread characteristics in the cultured blue mussel (Mytilus edulis Linnaeus, 1758)

Mussel growers in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, currently use high-pressure water spraying (~700 psi) to mortally injure or dislodge invasive tunicates from mussel product and gear. An added benefit of this process may be the stimulation of byssal thread production, leading to improved mussel attachment. This study measured byssal thread abundance and thickness in cultured blue mussel Myt...

Endocrine Disruption, Reproductive Cycle and Pollutants in Blue Mussel Mytilus edulis

Adult Mytilus edulis were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of 17β-estradiol in seawater for 10 days. Exposure was performed to assess effects on vitellogenin mRNA expression during early gametogenesis stages. The results show an increase in VTG expression, in contrast with previous experiments where no statistically significant change in the expression of VTG in ripe mussels w...