Ribbed Mussel
Modiolus demissus or Geukensia demissa
Image by Chesapeake Bay Program on Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0
Physical: Ribbed mussels are bivalves that are dark brown to green in color, with well-defined ribs running laterally.
Habitat: M. demissus are abundant in marshes, where they live in groups that line marsh plant roots. They are commonly found half submerged in mud, and thrive in brackish water with muddy flats nearby.
Feeding: Ribbed Mussels are filter feeders that strain organic material out of the water column by means of a siphon system.
Breeding: Mussels disperse eggs and sperm by broadcast spawning. Fertilized eggs become zygotes and float in a planktonic stage for up to three weeks, then reach a settling stage and are benthic for the rest of their lives.
