Characteristics

Like all Bivalves, it has two valves, mainly composed of calcium carbonate, which appear black or black-violet externally, with thin radial and concentric circles of growth towards the pointed part and internally a mother-of-pearl colour, with a smooth surface. The two valves are held together by a hinge with three or four teeth. The edible part is Inside the shell, that is the body of the mollusc, enclosed in the mantle that can be of cream yellow or orange colour, depending on sex. Generally the male is yellow, while the female is orange and both have a dark black/ brown border.

Habitat

Mussels are naturally occuring species in gulfs and lagoon areas of the Adriatic Sea and is bred throughout the Mediterranean.

Mytilus galloprovincialis is a sessile organism that lives anchored to a substratum that can be fixed (rocks, cliffs, boats) or unstable (sandy) seabeds. They are able to anchor very firmly thanks to a particular liquid secretion that solidifies and becomes very resistant on contact with water. This secretion is called "byssus". The mollusc is therefore able to remain anchored to any natural or artificial body that is submerged by water.

Sources:

• http://www.chioggiapesca.it/it/?pesci=cozza
• https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mytilus_galloprovincialis
• http://www.agraria.org/pesci/cozze.htm