What are
Mussels (or mussels) I'm bivalve molluscs belonging to the "Order of Mytiloida and to the family of Mytilidae; the term "mussels" refers exclusively to the genus Mytilus, which however includes two quite similar species: the galloprovincialis (native of the Mediterranean Sea and very present in Italy) and the edulis (typical of the Atlantic Ocean).
Mussels are creatures widely spread throughout the Italian peninsula, with a greater presence (both in the wild and in water-culture) near the Adriatic coast; They are NOT fish but still fall within the group of fishery products and - also thanks to the moderate cost - their consumption represents one of the main sources of livelihood of the local fish trade.
Description and Biology
The mollusk of the mussels is duly protected by two oval, elongated, triangular and curved shells near the apex; the margin of the shells has a fairly pronounced protuberance.
Externally, the mussels are black tending to dark purple and with brown reflections and have thin growth circles (although the color, like other morphological aspects, varies from area to area). The inner face of the mussels is bluish and bright, more or less mother-of-pearl (especially in Moscioli, variety captured in the Portonovo area of Ancona, in front of Mount Conero). The two shells of the mussels are held together by a serrated hinge located at the thinnest end. The color of the mollusk varies from almost red orange (in sexually mature females) to yellow (in sexually mature males) with the edges of the gills. gills of an intense black and light and brown shades on the digestive organs.
The gill gills of the mussels are essential to retain oxygen and capture food. Unlike clams or scallops, mussels DO NOT stand under the sand and are NOT equipped with propulsive organs or appendages for moving in the fluid or on the bottom; the mussels are fixed and well attached to structures of various kinds by means of a weave of very resistant fibers (the fine linen - to be eliminated by cleaning the animal before cooking).
Mussels easily reach 10cm in length and 4cm in width, live a few years and reproduce incessantly by secreting eggs and sperm in free water which, after fertilization, develop into larvae and take root by means of the byssus.
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