''Choromytilus chorus'', commonly known as the Choro mussel or Giant mussel, is a
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of
mussel
Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and Freshwater bivalve, freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other ...
, a
marine bivalve
Bivalvia () or bivalves, in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class (biology), class of aquatic animal, aquatic molluscs (marine and freshwater) that have laterally compressed soft bodies enclosed b ...
mollusc
Mollusca is a phylum of protostome, protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant taxon, extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum ...
in the family
Mytilidae
The Mytilidae are a family (biology), family of small to large Marine life, marine and Brackish water, brackish-water bivalve molluscs in the order (biology), order Mytilida. One of the genera, ''Limnoperna fortunei, Limnoperna'', even inhabits f ...
.
[WoRMS]
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Description
A particularly large species of mussel, shells of ''Choromytilus chorus'' can reach a length of 18 cm (7 inches) and a height of 9 cm (3.5 inches).,[Allan Hancock Pacific expeditions - Soot-Ryen – The family Mytilidae]
Vol. 20 (1955) p. 31 one specimen found in April 2024 weighed 816 grams.
Distribution
This species is present in Peru[ and in Chile.Discover Life]
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References
* Huber, M. (2010). Compendium of bivalves. A full-color guide to 3,300 of the world’s marine bivalves. A status on Bivalvia after 250 years of research. Hackenheim: ConchBooks. 901 pp.
* Toro, B.; Navarro, J.M.; Palma-Fleming, H. (2003)
Relationship between bioenergetics responses and organic pollutants in the giant mussel, Choromytilus chorus (Mollusca: Mytilidae)
Aquat. Toxicol. 63(3): 257-269
Mytilidae
Molluscs described in 1782
{{Mytilidae-stub