Mytilus Galloprovincialis - a Valuable Resource of the Black Sea Ecosystem

Abstract

The Bivalvia family has been traced back to the beginning of the Paleosoic Era (The Devonian age) and have survived to this day, with very small changes. While more common in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea has been penetrated by representatives of the family, most frequently along the coastal area. Representatives of the Mytilus genus, mussels are very common in the seas and oceans of the world. Mytilus Galloprovincialis Lamarck has long been considered as being only a variety of Mytilus edulis Linne. Anatomical studies have shown that there are sufficient differences in order to accurately distinguish the two species. This paper presents a characterization of the Mytilus galloprovincialis mussel, which is a valuable resource existing in the Black Sea ecosystem.