Head to head
Blue Mussel vs Zebra Mussel
Blue Mussel
VS Zebra Mussel
The blue mussel and zebra mussel are two small, byssus-anchored filter feeders that form dense colonies, one in the sea and one in fresh water.
| Blue Mussel | Zebra Mussel | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Mytilus edulis | Dreissena polymorpha |
| Water | Rocky shores and estuaries in the sea | Freshwater lakes and rivers |
| Shell | A smooth, wedge-shaped shell, blue-black outside and pearly inside, usually 5 to 10 cm long | A shell with distinctive dark zigzag or striped bands |
| Attachment | Anchors to rocks and other mussels with tough byssus threads that resist the pull of waves | Anchors firmly to hard surfaces such as rocks, pipes, and boat hulls with sticky byssal threads |
| Filtering | Can filter many litres of water a day, and dense beds help to clear the water | Dense colonies filter enormous volumes of water, significantly increasing clarity while changing the ecosystem |
| Native range | The cooler coasts of the North Atlantic and the North Sea, and the Baltic in a smaller form | The Black Sea and Caspian Sea region of Eastern Europe and Western Asia |
| Human impact | Grown on ropes and poles in sheltered bays across the world, and one of the most widely eaten shellfish | A major invasive species in North America, causing extensive damage by clogging water intakes, with an extremely high egg output |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated globally, though widespread and abundant | Not Evaluated globally |
Blue Mussel vs Zebra Mussel: common questions
Which mussel is an invader?
The zebra mussel, which has spread widely through human activity and is a major invasive species across large parts of North America.
Which one is farmed for food?
The blue mussel, which is grown on ropes and poles in sheltered bays across the world.
How do mussels stay attached?
Both use tough threads called the byssus to attach themselves firmly to hard surfaces.