Trichomya
| Hairy mussel | |
|---|---|
_-_Mytilidae_-_Mollusc_shell.jpeg)
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Order: | Mytilida |
| Family: | Mytilidae |
| Genus: | Trichomya Ihering, 1900 [2] |
| Species: | T. hirsuta
|
| Binomial name | |
| Trichomya hirsuta | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Mytilus hirsuta Lamarck, 1819[1] | |
Trichomya is a
molluscs in the family Mytilidae, the mussels. The only species is Trichomya hirsuta which is endemic
to southern and eastern Australia. Its common names include the hairy mussel, the greenling and the kelp greenling.
Description
The hairy mussel grows to a length of about 55 millimetres (2.2 in). The lower valve of the shell has a dense covering of short hairs.[3]
Distribution and habitat
The hairy mussel is found around the coasts of Tasmania and southern and eastern Australia as far north as Cairns. It lives on exposed reefs and among rocks and seaweed in the intertidal and subtidal zone, attaching itself to hard surfaces using its byssus threads.[4] It is an important constituent of the seabed fauna where it forms dense beds of tangled material providing a habitat for other species.[5]
Research
The hairy mussel is a major part of the
Mya arenaria.[5]
heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, and Ag) in its environment and there was a linear relationship between the sedimentary levels and the tissue concentration of all the metals except zinc.[6]
References
- ^ a b Huber, Markus (2010). "Trichomya hirsuta (Lamarck, 1819)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
- ^ Tran, Bastien (2010). "Trichomya Ihering, 1900". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
- ^ Hairy mussel: Trichomya hirsuta NSW Government: Fishing and Aquaculture. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
- ^ Mytilidae: Trichomya hirsuta (Lamarck, 1819) ('hairy mussel') Molluscs of Tasmania. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
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