Roger Steeb, USA
Info
Nuttallia obscurata (Reeve, 1857)
Nuttallia obscurata is a bivalve with an oval shell and a hump that lies slightly forward of the center of the shell. The front and rear ends of the shell are approximately equally rounded and the two flaps are approximately the same depth. The outsides of the shells are covered with a dark brown periostracum, which is scraped through in places and the white shell can be seen underneath.
The interior of the shell has a pearly texture and is deep purple. Adult mussels are 16–65 mm in size.
Nuttallia obscurata is native to the Pacific Northwest in Russia, Japan and China. In 1991, the mussel was discovered in Blaine, Washington, on the Washington-British Columbia border. It is believed to have been introduced as a larva in the ballast water of ships entering nearby Vancouver Harbour. Currently, Nuttallia obscurata has expanded its range north to the Strait of Georgia and south to Puget Sound, Willapa Bay and Coos Bay, Oregon.
It is a burrowing mussel commonly found in sand, gravel and mud in the upper intertidal zone. The mussel prefers estuaries and other areas affected by freshwater inflows. Since its introduction, it has spread rapidly and developed high densities across much of its introduced range.
Synonymised names:
Nuttallia olivacea (Jay, 1857) · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Nuttallia solida Kira, 1953 · unaccepted
Psammobia olivacea Jay, 1857 · unaccepted
Sanguinolaria olivacea (Jay, 1857) · unaccepted
Soletellina obscurata Reeve, 1857 · unaccepted
Nuttallia obscurata is a bivalve with an oval shell and a hump that lies slightly forward of the center of the shell. The front and rear ends of the shell are approximately equally rounded and the two flaps are approximately the same depth. The outsides of the shells are covered with a dark brown periostracum, which is scraped through in places and the white shell can be seen underneath.
The interior of the shell has a pearly texture and is deep purple. Adult mussels are 16–65 mm in size.
Nuttallia obscurata is native to the Pacific Northwest in Russia, Japan and China. In 1991, the mussel was discovered in Blaine, Washington, on the Washington-British Columbia border. It is believed to have been introduced as a larva in the ballast water of ships entering nearby Vancouver Harbour. Currently, Nuttallia obscurata has expanded its range north to the Strait of Georgia and south to Puget Sound, Willapa Bay and Coos Bay, Oregon.
It is a burrowing mussel commonly found in sand, gravel and mud in the upper intertidal zone. The mussel prefers estuaries and other areas affected by freshwater inflows. Since its introduction, it has spread rapidly and developed high densities across much of its introduced range.
Synonymised names:
Nuttallia olivacea (Jay, 1857) · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Nuttallia solida Kira, 1953 · unaccepted
Psammobia olivacea Jay, 1857 · unaccepted
Sanguinolaria olivacea (Jay, 1857) · unaccepted
Soletellina obscurata Reeve, 1857 · unaccepted
