GIANT MUSSEL

Reaching a maximum length of 16 cm, Choromytilus Chorus is the typical mussel species found in Chilean waters.

Its main distribution extends primarily throughout the:

• Eastern Pacific and Western Atlantic, from Callao (Peru) down to the Strait of Magellan (Chile), the Beagle Channel and southern Brazil, including the Falkland Islands.

This species, also introduced in the United Kingdom, prefers sedimentary and rocky seabeds, at depths ranging from 4 to 8 meters. Distinctive features of this mollusk:

1. The shell is equivalve, elongated and somewhat widened in the central part. It stands out from other species mainly for its large size;
2. The upper margin is curved inward in the middle of the valve, while the lower margin is concave, with a very rounded posterior edge;
3. The external surface of the valves displays the typical concentric growth lines, while the internal surface is marked by the impression of a large, elongated ligament;
4. The hinge bears only one tooth on the right valve and one tooth on the left valve;

The internal coloration is pearly and the external shell is black with violet shades.