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The Byssal Apparatus in the Pacific Mussel, Mytilus trossulus (Bivalvia, Mytilidae), from the Sea of Japan

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Abstract

In the commercial Pacific mussel species, Mytilus trossulus, from the Sea of Japan, features of the morphological structure of the byssal apparatus, byssal threads, and pedal groove are studied. Steps in the process of byssal threads formation and characters of the morphological structure of the byssal groove related to this process are described in M. trossulus. The byssal apparatus is shown to consist of a root, a stem, and byssal threads, the latter in cross section being ellipsoid in shape. A byssal thread consists of a corrugated proximal part located immediately behind the cuff and is one-third of its length, and a relatively smooth and flexible distal part taking up two-thirds of the thread length and ending with an attachment disk at the distal end. On the surface of the attachment disk, three reinforcing cords are situated. The morphological features observed in these structures are discussed in terms of the spatial distribution of mytilids in marine coastal zones, a successful habitat of M. trossulus being rocky shores with active wave activities.

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NOTATION

Abbreviations for Figs. 3–5: bg, byssal groove of the foot; ff, fine furrows; bt, byssal threads; lc, lateral cord; vl, ventral foot surface; ce, corrugated edge; b, bottom of byssal groove; de, distal end; df, distal fossa; z1, the transition zone from disk to the distal part of byssal thread; z2, transition zone from distal to proximal part of the byssal thread; cf, cuffs; l, mussel foot; os, opposite side of byssal thread; p, pores in groove; ad, attachment disk; pe, proximal end; dp, disk plate; w, longitudinal cord; fc, frontal cord; tf, transverse fold; c, cilia in byssal groove; s, byssal stem; bf, folds of byssal groove; cp, clavate papilla of the byssal groove of the foot.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author expresses the deep gratitude to D.V. Fomin (Center for Collective Use of the A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences) for his help in using the Carl Zeiss, Sigma 300 VP scanning electron microscope.

Funding

This work was supported by the Russian Science Support Foundation. This work was supported by the Malacological Society of London.

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  1. A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 690041, Vladivostok, Russia

    E. E. Vekhova

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Vekhova, E.E. The Byssal Apparatus in the Pacific Mussel, Mytilus trossulus (Bivalvia, Mytilidae), from the Sea of Japan. Biol Bull Russ Acad Sci 48, 1443–1451 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359021090235

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